Man With the Lion Tattoo
by DocMcRegals
Summary: When Regina wakes up in Storybrooke after casting the curse to send everyone back to The Enchanted Forest with no memory of the last year and a half, the heroes must figure out who cursed them and why. Meanwhile, the Wicked Witch has stolen Robin and Regina's baby and has plans of her own...Rated T to M for dark themes. AU. Season 3 re-write.
1. Prologue

Prologue:

The Enchanted Forest-Missing Year

" _Robin, I'm so sorry," Snow White said as tears dripped down her cheeks._

 _Regina was dead, and her sister had stolen their child, fully prepared to use this child to rid the world of light magic._

" _No, this can't be the end for us…no" Robin whispered, holding his wife's lifeless body._

 _No one in the room was able to say anything; what could they say to a man in mourning? He had been through this before with Marian and it was the hardest thing he'd ever dealt with._

 _Until now._

 _There was something more painful about this moment because of who she was. Regina was Robin's soulmate, she completed the part of him that he didn't even know was missing. This loss cut him to his core because he had promised her that they would succeed, that he wouldn't let Zelena steal their baby. He had promised her that he would get her back home to Storybrooke, to Henry. Henry, the boy he never met but loved like his own son; what was he going to tell the boy when they defeated Zelena and his mother was nowhere to be found? That was if they even defeated Zelena; she was set to wipe away all of their memories in moments._

" _It wasn't supposed to end like this my love…I'm sorry Regina. I'm so sorry that I failed you, but I promise that your death won't be in vain" Robin whispered before pressing a kiss to her lips._

 _Once their lips met, a blinding light filled the room, knocking everyone down. Robin and Regina's bodies were swept up in a cloud of magic so strong that it nearly took his breath away._

" _What's happening?!" Snow shouted over the swirling magic in the room._

" _The power of soulmates!" Rumple shouted as the cloud of magic dissipated and Robin and Regina were gently placed back onto the bed. Robin held Regina even tighter as he stared into her eyes. As if on cue, Regina took a gasping breath and opened her eyes._

" _Robin?" She called out weakly_

" _I'm right here my love, I'm right here," Robin said, pulling her into a tight embrace._

" _Robin, what happened?" Regina asked, glancing back at Rumple, for surely he knew what had happened._

" _Zelena had informants working for her here in the castle; she was able to slip you a poison that not only killed you but tied her to the baby" Rumple explained_

" _But…if I died, how am I-" Regina began though she was extremely confused._

" _Apparently, our love was strong enough to defeat death" Robin explained, reaching out to cup his wife's cheek._

" _But…all magic comes with a price, even the power of true love," Regina said_

" _I don't know what it is but-"Robin began as the room started to shake._

" _Zelena's curse, it's here; everyone brace yourselves!" Charming shouted_

 _Robin held Regina close as clouds of purple and green smoke surrounded them. Zelena had beaten them; she was on her way to Storybrooke to destroy them all. She had already stolen Robin and Regina's child, all she needed were the forged blades of Excalibur and the blade of the Dark One. Once the blades were forged together, she would use it to cut down the baby, casting all darkness into her. Regina's heart ached for her child, whom she never even got to hold. Tears of sadness and anger rolled down her cheeks at the fact that her sister had defeated them. One by one, Regina watched as her friends were ripped away from the Enchanted Forest, sent back to Storybrooke where they would not recall anything that had happened in the last 18 months._

 _"There has to be something we can do!" Robin shouted over the magic_

 _"There's nothing you can do…well, this is quite the surprise" Zelena said as she approached the couple. She was furious that Regina was alive, but she wouldn't let that show._

 _"You won't get away with this Zelena!" Robin yelled_

 _"Oh, but I already have; would you like to see your daughter one last time?" Zelena gloated as she drew back the blanket, revealing Robin and Regina's daughter. She was somehow sound asleep, despite the chaos that was going on around her._

 _"You lay one hand on our child I swear I'll-" Robin began though Zelena threw him across the room._

 _"He's so annoying; I can't believe you married him," Zelena said mockingly_

 _"Why aren't we in Storybrooke yet?"Regina asked as Zelena chuckled_

 _"Because I wanted to take this moment to gloat in Robin Hood's face, but you're still alive; this just makes my gloating even better . How does it feel to know that our mother_ _kept_ _the wrong daughter? How does it feel to know that I've stolen your baby, and you won't even remember it? How does it feel to know that this is the only time you'll see this child alive? Because when we get to Storybrooke and get Excalibur and the blade of the Dark One, I'm going to use it to cut her down and destroy all light magic. Oh don't cry sis, you won't remember this conversation in a few seconds…I just couldn't resist gloating about how I finally won. Say goodbye to your mummy little one" Zelena cooed at the baby before they were caught up in a cloud of smoke and taken to Storybrooke._

 _The magic in the room was thick; the pull of it was so strong that it nearly took Regina's breath away. Robin managed to wake up and slowly drag himself towards Regina, who wept bitterly._

 _"This isn't the end Regina!" Robin shouted, wrapping his arms around her_

" _It's over Robin, she's won!" Regina yelled over the howling wind as their bodies were lifted from the ground._

" _No! She hasn't won; I was able to bring you back with true love's kiss that has to count for something!" Robin yelled back, pulling her even closer to him._

" _But-"_

" _We will find Henry and we will get our daughter back" Robin shouted as everything began to fade into nothingness…_

Storybrooke: 18 Months Later

The first thing she smelled was the salt from the sea, followed by the stench of a factory that was presumably nearby. There were birds chirping and there was a blinding light coming from somewhere. Regina Mills sat up, her eyes blinking several times in order to take in the scenery around her. Once her eyes fully adjusted, she gasped in horror:

She certainly wasn't in the Enchanted Forest, she was still in Storybrooke.

"No…that's not possible," Regina said shaking her head slowly. Yes, she was definitely in Storybrooke based on the bedroom she was in. She turned to her left, noticing as Robin slept peacefully beside her. What?! Why was Robin asleep in her bed? There was no way she's sleep with him, not after the way he betrayed them

This wasn't right; she was just standing at the town line saying goodbye to Henry and Emma…

Henry! He was the first thought that came to mind as she pushed back the covers, allowing her feet to touch the ground. When she stood, she was met with an excruciating pain in her lower abdomen and her nether regions. When she placed her hands on her stomach she paused; why did her stomach feel bloated? Lifting her shirt up, Regina was shocked to find that her stomach was drastically different. No longer was it flat and firm like it was before the curse, but it was more round, more pronounced.

"What the hell is going on?" She muttered to herself, moving towards the mirror to get a better look at herself. Her stomach wasn't the only thing that was different; her breasts were definitely larger, fuller and were sensitive to the touch.

Yes, something was _definitely_ wrong.

oOo

When Zelena opened her eyes, she stood in the middle of a rather shabby looking farmhouse. It was far less pleasing than she was used to, reminding her of her father's cabin back in Oz; though it was significantly cleaner. Plus, there was this indoor plumbing that was rather nice and her wardrobe well, that was simply to die for. The best part was that her skin was no longer that horrible green color but was normal looking like everyone else's; a perfect way for her to blend in. Zelena smiled as she glanced around her new surroundings; she had won, she had finally-

Her thoughts of victory were cut short when a shrill cry erupted from a corner nearby. She scowled as she marched towards the offensive sound until she realized it was a baby, but not just any baby; this child belonged to Robin and Regina.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," she said as she leaned forward to pick of the crying child, whose cried slightly lessened as she held her close.

The child was quite beautiful with her dark hair, her tiny button nose, her creamy skin and those eyes, those wide expressive gray eyes. The child was stunning in every way possible as she blinked up at Zelena who grinned wickedly.

"Oh yes, this is definitely a splendid consolation prize," She said with a chuckle as the baby let out a whimper.

"Oh shh, shh, darling…no need to fret; it will all be over soon enough. You see, I'm going to ruin your mum's life and I'm going to use you to do it" Zelena cooed before moving towards the window.

"All we have to do now is wait for everyone to wake up and realize that they aren't in the Enchanted Forest anymore and blame it all on your mother," Zelena said with a laugh, keeping her eyes focused on the world outside.

Yes, things were about to get very interesting.

 _Chapter 1 to follow…_


	2. Part I: Neverland

***Warning: This story is rated T to M for mentions of rape, torture and sexually explicit content***

 **Disclaimers:**

 **I do NOT own ANY characters, ships or storylines; they all belong to their respectful owners. I only own the things that are AU, which includes storylines and original characters**

 **Some of my writing involves heavy sensitive topics like rape, kidnapping, abortion, miscarriage, drug abuse etc as well as a great deal of sexual content (aka smut). I do NOT in ANY way support any dark and or heavy/mature themes I write about. Anyone who reads my material after seeing the disclaimers, which shall be posted in every fic, is reading at their own risk and I am no longer held responsible.**

 **My updates depend on my real life schedule and the way my ideas/writing muse flows. I may not be able to update on a regular basis so expect sporadic updates of either one or multiple chapters. Please respect that I have a life outside of fanfiction.**

 **Neverland:**

The wind was loud and boisterous as the Jolly Rodger swirled through the time vortex. Regina could vaguely hear Hook telling everyone to hold on. This was the last thing she'd expected, to be stuck on a boat with a pirate, two heroes, a savior, and Rumpelstiltskin. But somehow, The Evil Queen was, for all intents and purposes, on a rescue mission with these people. Rumple she could handle, Hook she could even stomach, but the UnCharming's and Emma? No; those three were the last people she wanted to be dealing with right now.

However, they now shared a bond; they were a family; _her family_ to be exact. As she looked up at the heavens, she silently cursed whatever God may or may not have been out there that would decide to curse her to a fate such as this. However, her heart raged with her head at this comment, because, without them, they wouldn't be coming together for the most important mission of all: to save Henry.

The boat suddenly came to a casual drift as it seemed to settle onto calmer waters. They had made it, they were now in Neverland.

"Is that it?" Charming asked glancing around at the expanse of land as Hook nodded

"Aye, welcome to Neverland," he said

The night sky was a dark and murky color, leaving the island shrouded in mystery; all that could be seen were high cliffs and what appeared to be rocks in the shape of a skull. The placed looked more like an abandoned jungle more than an Island.

"Well, what the hell are we waiting on? Let's go get my son" Regina snapped, already tiring of her less than welcome boat guests.

"Patience your majesty, we can't just go charging onto the island with no game plan," Hook said as Regina shot him a glare.

"Why not? My son is our there!" Regina shouted

"Because," Rumpelstiltskin said as appeared on the top deck of the boat, causing Hook to roll his eyes.

"Well that's a great use of our time, a wardrobe change," Hook said, his hatred for the imp clearly starting to show.

"As I was saying; the pirate is right. Neverland isn't a place where you just charge in and save the day." Rumple said as Regina eyed him carefully.

"We agreed to do this together," Regina said.

"Actually, we made no such agreements" Rumple explained as Emma looked up at him

"Why are you doing this?" Emma asked

"Because I wanna succeed," Rumple said quietly

"What makes you think I'm gonna fail?" Emma snapped

"Well, how could you not? You don't believe in your parents, or in magic, not even yourself" Rumple said with a smirk.

"I slayed a dragon, I think I believe" Emma deadpanned

"Only what was shown to you; when have you ever taken a real, leap of faith? You know the kind where there's absolutely no proof? I've known you some time Miss Swan, and despite everything you've been through, you're still just that…bail bonds person looking for evidence. Well, dearie, that's not gonna work in Neverland" Rumple said

"I'll do whatever it takes," Emma said with certainty.

"Well, you just need someone to tell you what that is. Sorry dearie, our foe is too fearsome for…handholding. Neverland is a place where imagination runs wild and sadly, yours doesn't." Rumple said. He prepared for his magical escape, but Regina grabbed his arm.

"While you did all of that spouting off about how mystical Neverland is and how the savior has no belief, I'm assuming you have a plan?" She deadpanned as Rumple tossed her a smirk.

"I do, but it doesn't involve any of you; I work better alone. Regina, you understand" The imp said before disappearing in a cloud of magic.

"So that's it, Gold just leaves us here in the middle of the ocean to go off on his own?!" Emma yelled in frustration.

"Let him go off alone, we'll figure out a way to find Henry and get home, I promise" Snow said to Emma, causing Regina to roll her eyes as Hook glanced over at her.

"Not quite what you were expecting aye your majesty?" Regina looked up at Hook before glancing over at the Charming's, who were doing their best to comfort Emma.

"Once a villain always a villain I guess" Regina muttered, casting her eyes out towards the water as she thought about Henry.

oOo

The waters remained calm as those aboard the Jolly Rodger sailed towards the shore that is until the boat began to reel and rock uncontrollably.

"Prepare for attack!" Hook shouted as he and Emma came from below deck.

"Be more specific" Regina snapped

"If you've got a weapon, then grab it" Hook replied

"What's out there a shark, a Whale?!" Emma shouted, glancing over the side of the ship

"Worse…Mermaids!" Hook yelled.

"Mermaids!?" Emma shouted.

"Yes, and they're quite unpleasant! I'll try and outrun them," Hook yelled

"I will not be capsized by fish!" Charming shouted as he headed towards the canon of the ship, preparing to retaliate against the mermaids.

"We caught one!" Snow shouted as she and Emma began pulling the net back onto the ship.

"One? There are dozens of them. Enough of this" Regina said as she threw a fireball into the water, scaring the mermaids away, leaving the lone mermaid that Snow and Emma had captured.

Things began to escalate out of control after that.

Finally, after defeating the storm, the mermaid, and almost killing one another, the waters were calm once more as the island came into view. All they had to do was make it to the island, defeat this Peter Pan character and go home. Then, she would have her son back. If only it were that simple she would later think as she recalled the events of Neverland. However, if things were so simple, then the events that would later occur wouldn't have happened. Those events, though trying as they were, are now something Regina realizes were simply 'meant to be'.

2 days Later:

This was not a happy place.

From the moment Hook's ship landed in the then calm waters, they had been in for a fight. Now she understood why even Gold seemed to be afraid of this place and its leader, Peter Pan. She'd heard vague stories of the place where children never had to grow up. That and, in the new realm there was a much more, sweeter version of Pan. Now that she had seen it for herself, the Disney version seemed like a complete insult to the entire damn thing. In the week, they had been stuck on the wretched Island they had encountered Mermaids, a hellish rainstorm, met Pan and the infamous Lost Boys, and duped into thinking that they could find Henry.

She hated this whole thing; she hated this island, she hated Pan, but she especially hated the people she was forced to work with, Emma, Snow, Charming, and Hook. The only person whom she could tolerate was now gone, disappeared. Rumpelstiltskin had left the group high and dry, off to fight Pan on his own. Was he crazy!? It was a complete suicide mission. But after listening to another one of Snow's 'rainbow kisses and unicorn stickers' bullshit speeches, she'd had enough and decided that maybe she too would fare better on her own. Playing by the rules was for losers. She was the Evil Queen for Christ's sakes! Surely she could handle some moody preteen. Yes, she had defeated foes with more hair on their chins than this pretend bad boy. She could take down Pan, and take down Pan she would.

Walking through the thicket of annoyingly large palm trees, all Regina could think about was getting to her son; that was the only reason she had decided to tag along. If it weren't for Henry, she would've let that idiot bunch (minus Rumple of course) perish at sea. If she did, then there would be one less thing to annoy her. However, she knew that she couldn't do that; Henry would never forgive her if she did. So that was how she ended up traveling across realms and camping out with The Charming's and Captain Hook. That bunch of pathetic losers (herself and Rumpelstiltskin excluded) didn't stand a chance. What did they have that would help them defeat Peter Pan? Hope? A Savior who wouldn't know real magic if it hit her right in the eye, pointy sticks and hooks? The thought of that pathetic band of morons trying to go up against Pan was enough to make her chuckle. Her laughter soon stopped when she heard a rustle of leaves from nearby. Not that she was freaked out or anything but, she did proceed with caution, because what she'd learned from Hook and Rumple, this island was nothing more than a booby-trap of things intended to fuck with your mind. She kept going, kept her head held high as she swatted at the annoyingly large leaves though the sound never ceased; it only seemed to grow closer.

The noise was enough to make her stop dead in her tracks. Again, not that she was scared or anything like that; she just, wanted to be prepared for, whatever it was that was about to strike, instinct if you will. She stood motionless for a moment as the rustling grew louder and louder as leaves were being pushed away. There was a person in those bushes, she wasn't sure who it was but, she really didn't care. Conjuring up the biggest fireball she could, she stood aimed and ready to strike.

"Show yourself, whoever you are" she shouted as something flew out of the bushes.

It was close enough to nick her arm, tearing a small hole in her jacket, tearing the skin a little. When she yelped in pain, only then did the shadowed figure emerge.

"I'm so sorry Milady, I thought you were-"

"How dare you shoot me!?" She yelled, though the man didn't seem the least bit phased by her yelling, but at the blood that was slowly pouring from her arm.

"Let me have a look at you," he said calmly as he walked towards her, reaching out for her arm. Regina was not at all pleased by this strange man, _daring to shoot her_ , _daring_ to put his hands on the Evil Queen.

"Unhand me you fool!" she shouted, yanking her arm away from his, only to swear in pain from how much her fucking arm hurt.

"You're bleeding; my arrow seems to have got you," he said, reaching out for her arm, not caring about her protests.

"You should watch where you're aiming those damn arrows" she growled as he rolled his eyes

"It appears to be but a flesh wound," he said, ripping a piece of cloth from his clothing, creating a makeshift tourniquet.

"No one asked you to play doctor on my arm" Regina growled

"...You know, a simple thank you would suffice" the man said, growing rather tired of her snarky comments

"Well no one told you to go shooting your arrows around this damn island; you could've killed me!"

"Oh relax, the arrow barely-"

"You shot me, with a fucking arrow!" She yelled even louder as he stared at her, his annoyance with this rude woman showing.

"Well, you should watch where the hell you're bloody going and maybe you won't get hit with my arrows. Besides, what are you doing out here in the middle of the woods anyway? Don't you know where you are?"

"Of course I know where I am you idiot! And I'm not lost, I just had to get away from the Charming's...optimism isn't my strong point" Regina said

"The Charming's, as in Snow White and Prince Charming?"

"Yes, how do you know them?"

"I'm from the same realm as they are, or at least I was until the Evil Queen banished them and practically everyone else away," Robin said, agitation in his voice as he mentioned the very woman standing before him.

"So you're from the Enchanted Forest then?"

"Yes, the name's Robin, Robin of Locksley"

"The thief" Regina said with a smirk

"Some would call me that; and who might you be?" Robin asked as Regina chuckled lightly to herself; he had no idea who she was. Sticking out her hand, she firmly shook his and replied,

"Regina," she said as Robin's eyes widened; she'd looked familiar when he first saw her, but now he knew why.

"Well, I must say you look different without the elaborate gowns and such, your majesty," Robin said,

 _Chapter 2 to follow..._


	3. Chapter 1

**At this point, there's no need for a trigger warning; nothing serious enough to warrant a trigger warning will be happening for a few chapters. Things are pretty mild for right now and follow the narrative of the show with slight changes. A large portion of this chapter and its dialogue can be credited to episode 3x03 "Quite a Common Fairy". The disclaimers will remain as a precaution. To those who are still reading despite the debacle that resulted in the original story being deleted, I thank you. Right now I am taking caution with how I plan to proceed with this story, not because of bullying, but because I sought council on how I should tackle certain issues that may come up in the future. At this point, I cannot say that the events that originally occurred in chapter 30 will happen, but at this point I cannot definitively say that they won't. However, should I choose to broach that subject again, I promise to handle the subject with as much respect and care as possible. I would completely understand and respect anyone who chose to either stop reading or skip that chapter.**

 **Disclaimers:**

 **#1. I do NOT own ANY characters, ships or storylines; they all belong to their respectful owners. I only own the things that are AU, which includes storylines and original characters**

 **#2. Some of my writing involves heavy subject matter and sensitive topics like rape, kidnapping, abortion, miscarriage, drug abuse ect as well as a great deal of sexual content (aka smut). I do NOT in ANY way support any dark and or heavy/mature themes that I write about. Anyone who reads my material after seeing the disclaimers, which shall be posted in every fic, is reading at their own risk and I am no longer held responsible for what happens.**

 **# updates depend on my real life schedule and the way my ideas/writing muse flow. I may not be able to update on a regular basis so expect sporadic updates of either one or multiple chapters. Please respect that I have a life outside of fanfiction.**

 **Xx**

* * *

 **The Enchanted Forest**

 _Prince Phillip, Princess Aurora, and the warrior Mulan were taking a casual stroll along the seashore when the clouds opened up in an unusual manner._

" _Phillip, what's happening?" Aurora asked, quickly grabbing his arm in fear._

" _Stand back!" Mulan shouted as something fell to the ground a short distance from where they stood._

 _Mulan was the first to rush to the scene, instantly a step back when she noticed that the thing that had fallen from the sky was a man. Carefully she turned him onto his side, jumping slightly when he opened his eyes and took a deep breath before sitting up and looking around at his surroundings._

" _Where the hell am I?" Neal muttered, staring at the mystery woman kneeling in front of him._

" _You're in The Enchanted Forest" Mulan said, eyeing this mystery man suspiciously as Phillip and Aurora came towards them_

" _Mulan, are you alright?" Phillip asked as Mulan nodded, turning her attention towards the mystery man once more._

" _Who are you, and where are you from?" Mulan demanded, still wary of this man; even if this was the Enchanted Forest, magic was scarce here and had been since the Evil Queen's curse._

" _My name's Neal…well, Balefire; Rumpelstiltskin was my father" Neal said as his three new companions jumped back in fear._

" _That's, that's not possible, Rumpelstiltskin was-"_

" _Taken to the land without magic by the Evil Queen's curse? I know; things are complicated," Neal said as he stood, completely surprised that his gunshot wound was somehow gone._

" _Should we be expecting the Evil Queen any time soon?" Prince Phillip said, keeping an eye on this newcomer who was apparently the son of The Dark One._

" _No, but I need to be wherever she is to find my son," Neal said as he surveyed the land; it looked nothing like it did when he'd first left many years ago._

" _Regina's curse sure wrecked havoc on the place" Neal said as Mulan, Aurora and Phillip stood staring at him in total confusion._

" _You mentioned needing to be where ever the Evil Queen was; did she take your son?" Aurora asked._

" _No, no, no; someone else did…I need to get to my father's castle" Neal said glancing around the area trying to figure out how close his father's castle was._

" _It's about a day's ride from here, I can take you" Mulan offered as it suddenly clicked for Neal who she was._

" _Mulan? Wait, you're the Mulan? You're kind of a legend..." Neal said as the young warrior blushed._

" _I am?" Mulan asked as Neal nodded._

" _Legend enough to have your own movie," Neal said, briefly forgetting that she had no idea what a movie was._

"… _What's a movie?" Mulan asked as Neal sighed._

" _Know what, nevermind; how about we just head to my father's castle instead?" Neal said as Mulan nodded._

oOoOo

 _Once Mulan and Balefire were at a safe distance, Aurora and Phillip turned to look at one another._

" _Do you think we should tell her?" Aurora asked, glancing back to make sure no one else was around to hear their conversation._

" _You know we have to," Phillip said as Aurora looked back, thinking of her friend._

" _Phillip, Mulan-"Aurora began as Phillip gently shushed her._

" _Mulan is a strong warrior and will be fine, but we won't be if we don't tell her," Phillip said, taking his lover's hands into his own. He stared into her eyes as she closed them for a moment before opening them once more and nodding._

" _You're right; Mulan will be fine," Aurora said, her voice shaking with nervousness._

" _She will, I promise," Phillip said before turning his attention to the sky._

" _Wicked Witch, I summon thee" Phillip said, turning around when he heard the swirls of magic behind him. There in the sand stood a rather tall looking woman with red hair, piercing Blue eyes and unusually green skin._

" _I assume that you're calling me because you have news?" The woman said placing her hands on her hips._

" _Y-yes, someone a man, arrived today. He fell from the sky, said his name was Balefire and that he was from their land" Aurora said, watching as the woman's eyes lit up with glee._

" _Balefire you say? Hm. This is interesting; did he say what he was doing here?" The woman, Zelena asked._

" _He said he needed to get to wherever the Evil Queen was, something about saving his son," Phillip said as Zelena's eyes narrowed suspiciously._

" _There were three of you the last time; the man girl, where is she?" Zelena snarled, causing the couple to jump._

" _She-she took him to the Dark One's castle," Phillip said, pulling Aurora closer to him as Zelena glared at them, letting out a growl of frustration._

" _I apparently have to do everything myself," Zelena said with a sigh as she conjured a magic mirror to watch the warrior and the Dark One's son, but not before causing Phillip and Aurora to disappear in a cloud of smoke._

oOoOo

 _When he fell through the magic portal, the last place Neal thought he would end up was back in The Enchanted Forest. In fact, he was almost sure he would be dead, seeing as Tamara shot him and all...the crazy bitch. It took a moment for him to gather his bearings but, he made it to the one place he knew would have magical properties to get him back to Emma-his father's castle. He'd never really seen the place, seeing as he was long gone by the time his father had fully become The Dark One. When he left home, his father was still abiding in their small cottage in the village. His father's castle was much different than their small cottage had been and made Neal realize just how much his father had truly changed over the last hundred years. Neal found himself staring in awe at how intricate everything in the castle; books in a precise place, high ceilings that held an old Victorian style to them._

" _Wow, this place doesn't look like it was affected by the curse," Neal said, glancing around as he and Mulan walked the halls._

" _Legend has it that he protected this place; it's the only place still intact besides the Evil Queen's castle," Mulan said as they reached the great hall, which appeared to be greatly disturbed, as though someone were in the castle._

" _Looters?" Mulan asked as she carefully picked up a bowl, carefully examining it._

" _No, someone's here," Neal said quickly as he turned around just in time to miss an arrow flying towards his head._

" _The first was a warning milady, chivalry and all that," a hooded figure said as it slowly emerged from the windowsill._

" _Well, this is interesting," Neal said with a smirk_

" _Who are you?" Mulan asked, her sword drawn and ready to take on anyone._

" _The name's Robin," The man said as Neal tried to suppress his grin._

" _No way, Robin Hood?" He said, barely able to contain his excitement_

" _I'd bow but, this quiver's rather tight" Robin said, slowly lowering his aim._

" _Now, what are you doing trespassing in my castle?" Robin said, bow and arrow still in hand._

" _This castle belongs to The Dark One, it is you who trespasses" Mulan said, standing her ground._

" _He hasn't been seen around these parts since the Queen's curse. If he ever shows up I'll be happy to vacate" Robin said as Neal glanced around the room in search of anything that could help him in his search for Emma._

" _No, no need you can have it, I just need to look around for a bit" He said as Robin tilted his head in curiosity._

" _And who would you be to grant such title?" Robin asked_

" _In this land I'm known as Balefire; I'm his son," Neal said._

" _My apologies, go ahead" Robin said, immediately putting down his bow and arrow._

" _You don't wanna see I.D.?" Neal deadpanned._

" _Who would claim to be that which he wasn't?" Robin simply asked as Neal shrugged._

" _Yeah, good point,"_

" _Your father would not stand for impostures; he had quite a temper," Robin said as Neal eyed him with surprise._

" _You knew my father?" He asked as Robin nodded._

" _We crossed paths once, yes" Robin said as Neal smirked, knowing all too well that most people didn't just 'cross paths' with the Dark One._

" _Most crossings with my father don't end well," Neal said as Robin nodded._

" _It was, touch and go; he spared my life, I owe him a debt," Robin said_

" _I'm happy to collect I'm looking for something he left here, a magical item" Neal said as he began walking around the room._

" _I'm very sorry to disappoint, but I arrived shortly after the curse. The place was cleaned out, nothing of value remained" Robin said, both he and Mulan following the younger man._

" _Thieves and looters would only take what they could see," Neal said as he paused, his eyes falling on something familiar. It was his father's old walking stick; he reached down to pick it up, instantly having memories of his childhood, before his father took on the curse of the Dark One._

" _What's magical about a knotted old cane? It probably belonged to one of the looters" Mulan said, eying the old stick with a bit of contempt._

" _No, it belonged to him; see these markings? He was keeping track of me growing" Neal said to no one in particular, keeping his eyes trained on the old stick before swinging around in the air a few times. After placing the stick under his arm, in a swirl of blue magic, a door appeared._

" _I've handled that walking stick a dozen times, it never unleashed a cloaking spell before" Robin said in amazement._

" _My father enchanted objects so that, what might be a useless piece of wood in the hands of a looter might become magical in his" Neal said._

" _Or in the hands of his only son" Mulan said, finally understanding why the stick held such sentimental value to Neal. She'd heard stories of how The Dark One was once a mere man, but it wasn't until she saw Neal and how he interacted with an item that belonged to the Dark One_

" _He called it blood magic; it might not seem like it but family was important to dear old dad"_

"… _So, what's' in there?" Robin asked, keeping his eyes on the door that apparently lead to some magic place of some sort._

" _Let's find out" Neal said as he moved towards the door._

oOo

" _We found the crystal ball, what else are we looking for?" Mulan asked as she watched Neal curiously search through the large bookshelves surrounding each of the walls in the library that whad been hidden by magic._

" _It showed me where Emma was, now I have to get to her" Neal replied, still searching for something, anything that could get him to Neverland._

" _I'm not sure you're going to find in there mate" Robin Hood said._

" _I don't need a horse, I need a portal, a way to create a portal" Neal said, growing more frustrated by the minute_

" _Why don't you calm down and tell me what the problem is. Perhaps I can assist" Robin Hood said_

" _Henry's trapped in Neverland with Peter Pan who is hands down the nastiest person I've ever met" Neal said as Robin frowned_

" _I saw Emma in that ball, not Henry" Mulan said; she had quite the history with the savior and knew of Neal's son Henry._

" _Listen, I was in Neverland; Pan was looking for a boy, a specific boy. I know he had some picture of him on a scroll, he called him the truest believer"_

" _And you believe that to be Henry?" Mulan asked_

" _It has to be; that's the only reason Emma would be in Neverland. Help me look! Lots of things make portals; beans, magic mirrors, ruby slippers, some kind of ashes" Neal said, accidentally knocking over an item, causing one of the Merry Men, little John to enter the library._

" _What the hell was that?" The large man asked_

" _Stand down Little John" Robin said, just as a small boy peered from behind Little John before racing towards him._

" _Who's this?" Neal asked, staring at the little boy in wonder_

" _Merry Men come in all sizes; my son, Roland" Robin said proudly_

" _I know how to get to Neverland," Neal said with a smile, jumping down from the bookshelf_

 _Neal's plan to get to Neverland, didn't quite settle with Robin Hood however, who was quite furious._

oOo

" _Are you out of your mind? He's 4 years old!" Robin seethed when he heard Neal's idea as he paced the dining hall of The Dark One's castle._

" _The shadow won't touch him I promise" Neal said as Robin stood there looking at him, completely flabbergasted_

" _How do you know that?"_

" _Because I've dealt with it before; it took me to Neverland as a kid. All Roland has to do is summon it, that's it I'll take it from there. I'll be the one going to Neverland, not him"_

" _So at best, my toddler is bait; at worst something goes wrong and a demonic shadow carries him through a portal, to the nastiest person you ever met?"_

" _Look, Robin I have to get there" Neal said, causing the man to sigh_

" _I lost my wife a while back; before that we almost never even had Roland she was so sick. Now she's gone, he's all I have, I can't lose him"_

" _So you know how I feel; I need my boy, and Emma, they're all I have"_

" _So because I know what it is to value family I should risk mine?" Robin asked, highly insulted that this man would even try and play on his emotions like that_

" _When she was sick, your wife, how did she live so she could have your boy?" Neal asked_

" _You know how"_

" _My father; he saved her, and your son," Neal said, causing Robin to groan, turning away from the young man in front of him_

" _Fine, once; he stands at the window and calls out once. That doesn't take that's it, no second chance" Robin said, his voice laced with seriousness_

" _You gotta understand, this is my second chance" Neal said_

oOo

 _So it was settled, Roland would do it, he would summon Pan's shadow, but only once. They had to work fast if this was going to work; Neal only had one chance to get to his son and the woman he loved, and he wasn't about to ruin it._

" _I'll be right here next to the window, Robin behind the table and Neal, you need to be there, under the seal. We'll come up right under the shadow" Mulan said_

" _That's a good plan" Robin said, clearly impressed with the woman's sense of strategy_

" _I know" she said, still moving furniture out of the way_

" _Hood, man thanks again" Neal said, helping Robin to move a chaise lounge_

" _Thank me when your family's back together" Robin said as Neal let out a sigh of relief_

" _What?"_

" _I, I'm gonna save them but, back together, we'll see" Neal said, sitting on the chaise lounge, Robin giving him a look of confusion_

" _I thought you said you loved them?" Robin asked_

" _I do; but we'll see if I can earn her back" Neal said_

" _Why wouldn't you?" Mulan asked_

" _'Cause I screwed up the first time; hopefully I get another chance. When Emma told me that she loved me, I waited way too long to before I said I felt the same; I won't make that mistake again"_

" _I'm sure she will forgive you" Mulan said_

" _I hope so; I learned that lesson the hard way. When you love someone, you don't keep it in, you say it" Neal said just as the library door opened with Little John carrying a young Roland in his arms_

" _You ready?" The large man asked Robin_

" _I suppose; come here little man," he said, carefully lifting Roland from John's grasp_

" _Okay, daddy's going to be right there," Robin said pointing to his place under near the table_

" _Now it might be loud, but nothing gonna hurt you, you understand?" Robin asked his son who simply nodded in response_

" _Now, do you remember what you say?"_

" _Yes, I say, I believe" Roland said as all of the adults tried to shush him._

 _There was silence at first, which Neal found to be quite alarming. Then, all of a sudden a gush of strong wind caused the window to fly open, a large shadow emerging. Before Robin had a chance to move, the shadow had grabbed Roland, pulling the boy into the air. In a flash, Robin was in the air as well, holding onto his son as the two of them were carried through the window. Not wanting to miss his chance, Neal also raced forward, grabbing a hold to Robin Hood's cape as the shadow pulled them all through the sky, leaving Mulan alone in the room, staring at her friends as they went soaring into the air._

 _He could tell that his son was scared with the way that he was crying out for him._

" _It's okay Roland, I'm here, I'm right here!"Robin said, glaring back at Neal, who was hanging onto his coat tail, quite literally._

" _I trusted you!" Robin shouted_

" _I know I'm sorry!" Neal shouted back over the wholing of the wind and Roland's cries for help._

" _Sorry?! My son is-"_

" _We'll find him, I promise!" Neal said._

oOo

 _The journey to Neverland seemed to take forever but eventually Robin could see that were approaching what looked to be a deserted island. This was it; this was Neverland, the place that could make even a grown man fear for his life. The sky was dark, no stars in sight as they reached the small but deserted island. There was nothing even remotely friendly about this place with its overgrown shrubbery and creepy looking landmarks. From the minute they settled over the seemingly calm waters, Robin felt a chill down his spine; whatever magic this island possessed was anything but good._

 _As they got closer and closer to the island, they could feel the shadow trying to get rid of them, shaking them every which way. Robin tried holding on tighter to Roland, but the shadow was firm, only interested in Roland. In a flash, it shook both men off, causing them to fall to the ground, as Roland's cries for his father soon became nothing but an echo. They landed in dirt, the impact of their fall leaving them a bit bruised up. He had lost him, he had lost his son; the one thing he had that connected him to Marian. Just as both men went to stand, Neal was suddenly seized by two young boys, while Robin was left in the dirt as a pair of shoes came into his view_

" _Well, well, well boys, it seems we've got ourselves a stowaway," The young boy said with an amused grin. He appeared to be rather young as his cronies forced Robin to stand. The boy was but a scrawny thing with a shaggy looking haircut and expressive blue eyes that seemed to hold a hint of insanity and menace behind them._

" _Who are you?" Robin asked through clenched teeth._

" _The name's Peter, Peter Pan and I run this place. I do believe you're the first adult who's ever come here willingly" Pan said with a laugh as he sized him up_

" _I'm only here for my son"_

" _Ah yes, little Roland Locksley" Pan said as Robin's eyes widened_

" _How do you-"_

" _I'm Peter Pan, I know everything. Don't worry Robin, we'll take good care of the lad; he'll make a fine lost boy soon enough" Peter said with a laugh as Robin lunged towards him, only to be held back by two other boys._

" _It's alright boys, let him go; if he's lucky enough, he'll run into our other friends and then, we can have some real fun" Pan said before both he and his comrades disappeared, leaving Robin on the beach; even Neal had disappeared. Filled with an overwhelming sensation of failure, Robin dropped to his knees and wept bitterly at the loss of his son._

Neverland: Present

The sun should have been rising in Neverland but it wasn't; the sky remained a dark, murky color with very few clouds that made seeing anywhere besides in front of them impossible. The air was thick, thick enough for Regina to remove her royal blue blazer. Underneath her blazer was a thin maroon colored top that was so sheer that it required a thin black camisole. Robin tried not to stare but, these new garments were different than anything he'd ever seen before. The thing that was most interesting was that he expected the queen, or as Regina as she now went by, was much smaller than he'd expected.

In all of the tales he'd heard of the great and terrible Evil Queen (he'd never met her up close and personal, seeing as he was on her most wanted list) he'd heard stories about how she was a small stature but still managed to tower over everyone, even those who were larger in stature. This woman who walked along side him was much smaller and looked less…evil than the stories he'd heard about her. However, just because she looked less menacing didn't mean that she wasn't still someone he could fully trust. Though he wasn't stupid and realized that it would be better to have her on his side than to be opposed to her. It was a logical choice, seeing as neither party wanted to be on this bloody island and both wanted nothing more than to be reunited with their sons.

"So, exactly how did you end up in Neverland?" The Queen asked as she followed Robin through the thickets of trees. He'd been so deep in thought that he barely heard her question.

"I came here to find my son Roland" Robin said, keeping his eyes focused on what was in front of him. He'd been here far too long and wanted nothing more than his son.

"Your son was taken by-" Regina began as Robin shook his head

"No; he was used as bait" Robin explained, pushing past yet another set of bushes.

"Bait?" Regina asked, completely confused

"A man by the name of Neal said-" Robin said as Regina paused, moving to stand in front of Robin, her eyes full of curiosity as to how he knew the man that he spoke of.

"Neal, wait you mean, Rumpelstiltskin's son Neal?" Regina asked as Robin nodded, unsure of where this line of questioning was going.

"Yes, you know him?" Robin asked as Regina sighed, looking away for a moment.

"He's...he's my son's father" She said as Robin's eyes furrowed; Neal had said nothing about having a child with the queen while they were in The Enchanted Forest.

"Wait, you mean you're Henry's-" Robin began, barely able to contain the chuckle at the Queen's rather comical expression; he had a feeling that Neal wasn't her type…if she even had a type at all he thought to himself.

"No! Don't be ridiculous; I adopted Henry when he was a baby; _I'm_ Henry's mother"

"That doesn't make any sense, Neal mentioned a woman by the name of Emma being-"

"Emma is Henry's birth mother" Regina said, making sure to emphasize that Emma had given birth to the boy, but she had been the one to raise him.

"Ahh, so you came here to help Emma get back her-"

"No, I came here to get back _my_ son. Henry, is _my_ son!" Regina said; there was a fierceness in her voice that impressed the thief. _So there was something that the queen cared for_ …well, that was interesting

"Well then milady, it looks like you and I need each other" Robin said with a smile as Regina scoffed

"Please, I don't need-" Regina began

"As much as I hate to say it, you need me and I need you; it is the only way to get what we want" Robin said with a chuckle; the queen was quite stubborn, that much was abundantly clear by the way she scrunched her nose in disgust at his suggestion.

"You want to work together?" Regina asked as Robin nodded

"A Thief and an Evil Queen?" She reiterated as Robin nodded once more

"Yes,"

"No. I'd rather gouge my eyes out than to work with you," Regina said heading in the opposite direction causing Robin to sigh in frustration.

"And just what the bloody hell is wrong with working with me?" Robin asked

"I work better alone, besides, you don't have magic and you'll just slow me d-" Regina began as she fell over a large tree stump. Robin paused for a moment, though he let out a low chuckle at the way she was on the ground swearing before casually making his way towards her.

"I didn't know Queen's used language like that" he teased, finding her glare to be incredibly sexy.

"Oh, shut up and give me a hand!" Regina growled as Robin's eyebrows rose.

"I thought you said you didn't need my help?" Robin asked, enjoying the sight of the all power queen of the Enchanted Forest needing his help. She had pride this queen, but it was something he could admire; a tad bit stupid to have in this moment but still respectful nonetheless.

"Say it," Robin said, an amused grin on his face, only wanting to frustrate her. There was something about being in the presence of the queen that made him want to get to know her. From this angle, those stories he heard about her seemed to describe an entirely different person.

"Alright, fine! But only because I'm in pain and arguing with you is wasting time…Robin Hood, would you _please_ help me?" She asked through gritted teeth

"All you had to do is ask your majesty," he said, reaching out a hand to help her stand; however once she was on her feet again, she quickly snatched away from him

"Just, don't get in my way," Regina growled before stalking off

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it" Robin said with a roll of his eyes as he allowed her to take the lead.

Though he couldn't help but watch the way her hips seemed to sway, or how those pants or, whatever strange type of garments she was wearing seemed to show off her rather toned arse. The queen may have been yet another royal pain; she was quite beautiful to look at, which made his trek through the woods a bit more bearable.

 _Chapter 3 to follow…_


	4. Chapter 2

***Slight trigger warning for mild mentions of explicit sexual content and miscarriage***

 **Disclaimers:**

 **1\. I do NOT own ANY characters, ships or storylines; they all belong to their respectful owners. I only own the things that are AU which include storylines and original characters.**

 **2\. Some of my writing may involve heavy subject matter (i.e., drug abuse, abortion, sexual assault etc.) as well as a great deal of strong language, along with strong to mild sexual content. I do NOT in ANY way support any heavy subject matter I may write about. Please note that if you continue to read after seeing any disclaimers or trigger warnings, you are from that point forward reading at your own risk. Anyone who wishes to read after disclaimers and warning labels which will be placed at the beginning of each chapter may voice their complaints, but I am not at liberty to respond.**

 **3\. Updates for stories that I write are based on the time and availability I have to plot, research, write, edit, and update a chapter. Updates are also based on my creativity and muse; I would rather a story be on an indefinite hiatus than to force myself to give a rushed and uninspired update. Any updates I do will be sporadic and may consist of single to multiple chapters.**

* * *

Neverland:

His feet were exhausted, his body in desperate need of food and water; but he had to keep going, Roland's life depended on it. The sun should be in the sky by now, but whatever magic this land possessed kept the sun from shining. The sky was gray, painted with wisps of blue as clouds filled the sky, casting an even gloomier look over the island. Their journey seemed to be never ending and Robin was quite certain that they were lost. They had passed the same tree with the exotic flowers at least 4 times since their journey had begun. She was leading the way because she was pissed off and he had no energy to argue with her. Now he was annoyed because they were losing time and were probably further away from Roland. He let out a frustrated sigh, causing her to whip around and look at him.

"Something you wanna say?" Regina asked, placing her hands on her hips as she scowled at him.

"We're lost...something you'd know if-" Robin began as Regina's scowl deepened.

" ** _If what, thief_**?" Regina glared.

"If you weren't so damn headstrong!" He shouted, frustrated beyond his wits at this woman.

" _We are **not**_ -"

"We've passed this bloody shrub at least 4 times!" Robin exclaimed, pointing to the shrubbery as Regina sighed.

"Just admit it, we're-"

"Lost? I know!" She said, raising her voice a little as her hands flailed around as Robin looked at her strangely.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice much softer as she sighed once more.

"I just, I wanna find my son alright? I wanna find Henry and get the hell off this island!" She shouted, clearly more frustrated than he thought.

"As do I, but we can't get anywhere with you being so bloody headstrong!" Robin argued back, her reaction immediately made him swear silently to himself.

"I am not-"

"Yes you are; you clearly don't know where we are or where we're going. I've lived in the woods, you have not so I-"

"Oh, so you think that because I lived in a palace-"

"I think the fact that we've been wandering around in the same spot for the past hour proves my point your majesty," Robin said as Regina sent him an infuriating glare.

"Ugh! I should've followed my first instinct and went off on my own," She muttered, stalking off in the opposite direction.

"And you'd be just as lost if you had gone off on your own." Robin snapped as Regina whipped around to face him.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Regina snapped, turning around to look at him as he noticed the dark spot that had begun forming on the right shoulder of her jacket.

"What?" She snapped as he sighed.

"Your arm's bleeding again; here, let me take a look at it," Robin said softly.

"I don't need your help! I can look after my own arm!" Regina shouted as Robin's irritation grew.

What was it with this woman? Why was she so stubborn? Clearly they were both in the same boat, wanting to find their sons and get the hell off of this island. So why was she being so bloody uncompromising?

"You know what, fine! Look after your own self, see if I care! You are an insufferable woman! I don't see how the king-" Robin began as Regina laughed; now _that_ was something that caught his attention.

" _You think I_ _ **wanted**_ _to marry Leopold_?" Regina said shaking her head as she continued to laugh.

"If you didn't then why-"Robin began, slowly beginning to put the pieces together; she'd never wanted to marry the king.

"Trust me, dear, if I'd had my way, I wouldn't have married him...and Snow White sure as hell wouldn't be alive," Regina muttered.

" _What is your issue with her_?" Robin wanted to know; he'd heard so many stories as to why the queen hated Snow White, but this was a story he wanted to hear directly from the source.

"She ruined my happiness," Regina said, turning away from Robin.

" _And just how did she do that_?" Robin asked, casually leaning against a tree.

"She told a secret, and it cost me the love of my life...I had to stand there and watch my mother rip out his heart because of her." Regina said softly, her eyes focused on a certain point in the sky as she wrapped her arms protectively around her.

"So because your true love was killed, you shut yourself off to love?"

"I didn't just shut myself off to love; I shut myself off to everything. At least, until Henry was born; _then_ , I tried to be good but, there was so much anger; my hatred for Snow consumed everything that I had,"

"If you hate her so much then how did you end up raising her grandson?"

"...Because fate has a way of screwing with me; I couldn't have children of my own so, I ended up adopting"

"You're infertile?" Robin asked, completely astonished; how was it that a woman as beautiful as Regina was unable to have children?

"Yes and no; the king wanted a male heir but, I was unable to give him one. He tried all sorts of things, hired all sorts of... _escorts_ and, magic practitioners to help train my body. He brought in people to make sure I would be able to handle being with him intimately. I was able to conceive; I just couldn't carry a child to term. It worked out in the end; because if I wasn't carrying Daniel's child well, I didn't want to be pregnant anyways." Regina said quietly as Robin watched her body language. She stood completely still as she talked, her eyes drifting off to a faraway place.

"This Daniel you speak of…you truly loved him?" Robin asked as Regina finally looked at him, doing her best to contain her tears.

"I loved Daniel with everything I had inside of me; we were going to run away together…but Snow, she told my secret." Regina said as her eyes darkened at the thought of what Snow did to her, of what she'd cost her.

"But, wasn't she just a child?" Robin asked as Regina turned once more to look at him.

"Child or no child, she cost me my freedom," Regina said, taking a deep breath in to try and calm herself down.

"So that's why you cast the curse, to get back at Snow White?"

"No. I cast that curse because for once, I wanted to win; I wanted to know what happiness felt like. It wasn't fair to me that no matter what I did, Snow White always seemed to find happiness while I was left with nothing. The curse at the time seemed like the only way I could win," Regina explained as Robin hummed quietly, his eyes focused on the queen the entire time she spoke.

"So what happened after the curse was broken?"

"Oh, all hell broke loose once everyone remembered what I'd done; I lost Henry as a result. I knew that the only way to regain his trust was to try and change who I was,"

"And did you?" Robin asked as Regina let out a chuckle.

"If I hadn't changed do you _really_ think I would have jumped on a boat with Rumpelstiltskin, the Charming's, Emma Swan, and Captain Hook?" Even Robin had to chuckle; that bunch seemed like a highly unlikely pairing.

"No, I suppose I wouldn't expect that; so exactly _how did Henry end up here_?" Robin asked, suddenly seeing the woman known as The Evil Queen in an entirely new light. Apparently there was a woman with a heart underneath the cold exterior, and she had been through a living hell.

"Because of me; someone I'd wronged long before Henry was born wanted revenge on me. I'm slowly starting to accept the fact that my past will always come back to haunt me," Regina said with a sad smile as Robin stared at her.

"What?" Regina asked, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"You're not evil, just terribly misunderstood," Robin said softly, reaching out for her arm which this time, she didn't snatch away.

"It appears my arrow cut deeper than we thought," he said, reaching upward to grab a coconut from a tree nearby.

"You're going to have to take off your jacket and your top," Robin said as Regina looked at him with wide eyes.

"It's the only way I can get a better look at your arm," Robin said as she looked at him but removed her clothes anyway.

"So, in this new realm, I'm guessing clothing is more-"

"It's a lot less...extravagant than it is back home" she explained,

"Do you miss it, The Enchanted Forest?" Robin asked

"Do I miss it? Ha! No, there's nothing left for me there any...ahh! God! _Son of a bitch_ that hurt!" Regina yelled.

"Sorry; I had to keep you distracted," Robin said with a sheepish smile.

"Well you could've warned me at least," Regina said through clenched teeth.

"What the hell did you put on my arm anyway?" Regina asked, glancing at the creamy white substance he was smearing on her arm.

"Coconut milk; it's like a cooling salve; it helps with the pain," Robin said, pulling a small flask from his shirt pocket.

"Rum; It also helps with the pain," Robin said holding the flask out to her

"I don't do Rum," Rhe said quickly, reaching down to grab her jacket and blouse

"We should rest for the night," Robin said to her as she looked around.

"You wanna rest? Huh, didn't think a thief as skilled as Robin Hood would wanna rest" she said with a smirk.

"We need to be well rested; we'll move as soon as there's daylight. Plus, your arm has lost quite a bit of blood, you need to regain your strength" Robin said to her, already making himself comfortable on the ground.

"Tell me you're not afraid of camping in the middle of the woods for the night your majesty?" Robin teased as Regina rolled her eyes.

"For the last time thief, I'm _not_ afraid of camping in the woods… _and Regina is just fine_. I haven't been 'your majesty' in a long time" she said with a heavy sigh.

"As you wish; we'll rest until morning," Robin said before lying down on the ground, sleep seemingly coming to him with ease.

Regina however, could not sleep; not while her son was trapped somewhere on this damn island. But Robin had a point; they did need to rest if they were going to find their sons. Regina could do nothing more than make herself as comfortable as possible before settling into sleep. Before she fell asleep, her eyes met the stars once again, whispering into the darkness.

"I'm gonna find you, Henry, I promise,"

 _Chapter 5 to follow..._


	5. Chapter 3

***trigger warnings will now appear for mentions of torture, both physical and mental; other trigger warnings for heavier subjects will be added as the story progresses***

 **Disclaimers:**

 **1\. I do NOT own ANY characters, ships or storylines; they all belong to their respectful owners. I only own the things that are AU which include storylines and original characters.**

 **2\. Some of my writing may involve heavy subject matter (i.e., drug abuse, abortion, sexual assault etc.) as well as a great deal of strong language along with strong to mild sexual content. I do NOT in ANY way support any heavy subject matter I may write about. Please note that if you continue to read after seeing any disclaimers or trigger warnings, you are from that point forward reading at your own risk. Anyone who wishes to read after disclaimers and warning labels (which are placed at the beginning of each chapter), may voice their complaints in a review or PM, but I am not at liberty to respond.**

 **3\. Updates for any story that I write are based on the time and availability I have to plot, research, write, edit, and update a chapter. Updates are also based on my creativity and muse; I would rather a story be on an indefinite hiatus than to force myself to give a rushed and uninspired update. Any updates I do will be sporadic and consist of single to multiple chapters being published at any given time.**

* * *

Neverland:

She opened her eyes to find the sky a mixture of pinks, blues, and purples. Because this land desperately lacked sunshine, Regina concluded that it was just at the crack of dawn. She sat up, twisting her back this way and that until it popped. She carefully shed her jacket to inspect her arm. The blood loss was minimal; apparently, that coconut salve really did work. Regina stood, carefully taking a glance over at Robin, who was still sound asleep. Stretching her arms over her head, Regina stood up. She could hear what sounded like a stream nearby; it wouldn't hurt to stretch her legs and get a drink of water she thought to herself. Taking one last glance at Robin, Regina headed in the direction of the running water. Just as she had suspected, there was a stream a few yards away from where they had made camp. The water was clear and cool as it made its way down her throat, quenching her thirst. There was a rustling coming from the bushes that made Regina stand up as she glanced around.

"Well, well, well, looks like the Queen's decided to take matters into her own hands," a young man with a pixie haircut said as he emerged from the bushes.

"You," she said with a glare, instantly realizing who was standing before her.

Immediately, Regina threw a fireball in Pan's direction, blinking in surprise when he disappeared. Suddenly, she felt a hand around her neck. She struggled as hard as she could to break free from the chokehold, but was met with a searing pain in her abdomen. When Pan released her, she fell to her knees as blood pooling from her stomach. Pan towered over her, laughing cruelly before waving his hand, causing magic to surround them. When she blinked, Regina was standing in her original spot, a fireball her in hand as Pan laughed.

"My apologies; I'm sure Neverland doesn't live up to you standards, as you just saw," Pan said with a smirk

"How,"Regina began, still holding a hand to her stomach as Pan laughed.

"It's Neverland, your majesty, " Pan said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I don't give a damn about this island; all I want is my son" Regina snarled

"Well, I'm afraid you can't have him..." Pan taunted.

" ** _What the hell do you need with him anyways_**?" Regina said, growing more frustrated by the minute.

" _You have_ _ **no idea**_ _just how special Henry is,_ _ **do you**_? You see Regina, I'm much older than I look, but thanks to magic, I've been able to stay young. Sadly, my time is running out. In order for me to live, need a heart; but not just any heart, I need _the heart of the truest believer_ " Pan explained.

"You need Henry's heart..." Regina said as Pan smirked.

"Bingo! Unfortunately, I can't rip it out otherwise he'd have been dead the second he stepped foot on this island. It has to be taken in an act of betrayal. And what more horrible of a betrayal than for Henry's heart to be ripped out by his mother?"

"No..." Regina said shaking her head.

"Oh yes," Pan laughed

" _You could **never** make me_ -"

"Not even for a life where Henry was all yours and Emma Swan never existed?" Pan taunted

"That's not possible, if you rip out his heart, he's dead!"

"You're in Neverland Regina; anything is possible, including me forcing you to rip out Henry's heart"

"I would _never_ rip out my son's heart" Regina snarled as Pan simply shook his head

" _Oh, Regina_ ; you have yet to realize that this is _my_ territory. I'm in control of everything on this island and now that I've got you and Rumpelstitlskin here, _it's time to have some **real** fun_ " Pan said with a sinister smile as Regina rolled her eyes.

"Please, I've come across foes with more facial hair than you. You don't scare me" Regina scoffed.

"Oh but I should be. Wasgetting killed not enough? Let me explain something to you, your majesty, here in Neverland, I have the ability to make all of your dreams nightmares come true. I'm giving you a fair chance Regina, do as I say or-"

" _ **Or what**_?" Regina growled

" _Or I'll just have to have The Evil Queen pay a visit_ ; _I believe you've kept her in her cage for **far too long**_ ," Pan said moving closer towards her.

"Tell me something _, how did it feel to punch Snow White while you were on board the Jolly Rodger_?" Pan asked as Regina's eyes widened in shock

" _Didn't think I knew about that did you_? I know everything...including a few secrets you've been hiding. _You see Regina, you can do this **the easy way** , or you can do this the hard way, and **trust me** , you **won't** like what happens if you decide to do this the hard way_ " Pan said as Regina shook her head.

" _There's_ _ **no way in hell**_ _that I'd give you my son's heart, no matter_ _ **what you offer me**_. So go ahead Pan, do your worst; noone messes with the Evil Queen and lives," Regina said daringly.

"Oh, but someone already has; Snow White. She's always been one step ahead of you, defeating you at every cost. She's caused you to lose everything you love since the day you met her. Tell me something, what if I told you there was a way for you to finally defeat her?" Pan asked as Regina scoffed

"I'd tell you to take a long hike off of a short pier. You couldn't' find a way to-"

" _Oh but I have_ and I'm willing to give it to you... _for a price of course,_ " Pan said as Regina stared at him, shaking her head slowly.

"As much as I've wanted to defeat Snow White, there's _nothing_ you could offer me that would make me give up my son's heart," Regina said

"Fine, have it your way; but don't think that this is over," Pan said before disappearing.

"We'll see about that," Regina said with a smirk as she turned, heading back to where she and Robin had made camp.

oOoOo

It was ridiculous! There was no way Pan could force her to rip out Henry's heart. She would refuse until her very last breath. It didn't matter what he tried to bribe her with, she wouldn't betray Henry like that. She had worked too hard to gain his trust again; she loved him too much to hurt him. There was no way she would do it, especially not after how she felt when she crushed her father's heart enact the curse. Regina stopped, hearing voices coming from a few feet away. She carefully crept closer and found to her surprise, Rumpelstiltskin sitting and talking to…Belle? There was no way that the bookworm was in Neverland, they'd left her behind in Storybrooke. There was only one person who could be behind something like this: Pan.

"…And just leave Henry, my family behind?" Rumple asked 'Belle'

"Come with me, and we start a new family, our own family. That's what I want, don't you?" 'Belle' asked

"No you can't want anything; you're just a figment of my subconscious" Rumple replied, staring back at 'Belle' in disbelief.

"No, no I'm really here; take my hand, believe in our love and we can go back. Take it Rumple please, come home to me" 'Belle' said, holding out her hand for the imp to take.

Regina had enough, she slowly moved from her place and used her magic to choke the impostor.

"Enough of this" she snarled, making her presence known

"Regina!" Rumple shouted, making his way towards her.

"Are you really going to fall for this?!" She yelled in annoyance as the fake Belle fell to the ground, gasping for air.

"Rumple, st-stop her!" Belle gasped

"Don't listen to him!" Regina snapped

"What are you doing?!" Rumple shouted

"Showing you the truth,"

"No!" Rumple shouted as he tried to get to Belle.

"Look who you're really dealing with," Regina said as the image of Belle disappeared, transforming into a dark shadow.

"Pan," Rumple whispered, looking up at the shadow in horror before it sailed away.

oOoOo

"What is this, amateur hour?" Regina said, throwing the makeshift backpack she had been carrying to the ground in annoyance.

" _Did you_ _ **really**_ _believe_ _ **that**_ _was Belle_?" Regina asked Gold, whose back was facing her, most likely in annoyance that she had been right.

"Why are you here?" he asked

"Well for starters it appears I'm saving your ass; you were about to be Pan's lunch!" Regina yelled.

"Ah, what do you care?" Rumple said, walking away from her as she scoffed.

" _ **I care** because I've been camping with the Charming's **for a week and getting nowhere**. If we're gonna get Henry, I need **you** ; **I need Rumpelstiltskin**_ "

" _ **Well the problem dearie,**_ is that Rumpelstiltskin can only stop Pan, by dying!"

"You're not going to die at anyone's hands but my own! _We're the two most powerful practitioners of magic who have **ever** lived_! _**The Evil Queen and The Dark One joining forces**? I'd say we can find **another way** to handle **one smug teenager**_ ," Regina said

"You've never faced him, _I have_ and I know that killing him requires and that is _my life_ ," Rumple said.

"Actually, it requires **Henry's** life," Regina said quietly

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rumple snapped.

"Pan, he came to me, offered me a deal just before I came here and found you."

" _What kind of a deal_?" Rumple prompted

"A deal that I wasn't willing to take" Regina muttered.

"Not answering the question; **_what kind of deal did Pan offer you_**?" Rumple shouted, stalking towards Regina.

"He wanted me to trade Henry's heart, in exchange for Snow never being born," Regina said quietly, unable to meet his gaze.

"...He wants The heart of the truest believer" Rumple said with little surprise, which caused Regina's suspicions to grow.

"How do you know about that?" Regina asked

"It's complicated," Rumple said with a sigh

"How complicated are we talking?" Regina asked as she watched her former mentor sigh.

"Far more complicated that I'm willing to share at the moment. You're not taking that deal" Rumple said as Regina rolled her eyes.

" _No shit Sherlock!_ I'm not about to hand over my son's heart to that psycho! What's the other plan, _**because I know you have one**_ " Regina asked

"The only other way we can defeat Pan and save Henry, is for me to die"

"...Well as much as I want to, maybe we don't have to kill him. If that's the case then, maybe we can find another way, something to contain him. Something other fate..."

"A fate worse than death," Rumple said suddenly as Regina grinned

"Now we're talkin; there's my malevolent imp. Is there a spell you know, something we can enact?"

"No, but back in my shop, I might have just the thing," Rumple said as Regina smacked him on the arm

"Well, why didn't you bring it with you in the first place?!"

"Because I came here to kill him and die in the process!" Rumple said Regina laughed.

"Well I could've told you that wasn't gonna happen; you forget dear, I've known you a _long_ time. _I know_ _ **all**_ _about your survival instincts_ " Regina said as Rumple rolled his eyes.

"Yeah well they've just kicked in" The imp muttered

"Good; so now we just need a change of plans. We need to get back to your shop and pick up this magical item and all of our problems are solved" Regina said.

"Crossing realms, is that all?" Rumple said turning to face his former student, suddenly uneasy at the look on her face.

"Yes, that's all," Regina said

oOoOo

Robin awoke with a groan; the ground in Neverland was not as cozy as lying on the ground in Sherwood Forest. In fact, lying on the ground was nothing compared to the wonderful softness of his bed in Rumpelstiltskin's castle. He became angry at the thought of Neal and how he'd caused him to end up here in the first place. Robin's heart began to beat uncontrollably when he thought of the man who had Roland. According to Neal, this Peter Pan character was far scarier than any magician he'd faced, and he'd went head to head with both Rumpelstiltskin and The Evil Queen.

 _Was it really possible for one to be scarier than the two of them_?

Robin glanced over at his side and found his forest companion was gone. He sighed in frustration; that damn woman, would she ever learn?

"It seems as if the Queen's left you, went on a quest of her own" a voice said, causing Robin to look up.

Propped against a tree was the man himself; Peter Pan.

"Where's Roland?" Robin snarled as Pan used magic to hold him in place.

"Roland's fine, for now; a bit of a cry baby but, those tears will stop soon enough, they always do. Don't worry Robin, your boy's going to be a far better man than you were. You couldn't save your mother from your father's wrath and you could do nothing but watch as your father married your sister off to that god awful Prince Jonathan. It's a shame that she died not long after she married him; it's why you hate both he and Nottingham isn't it? It's why you started stealing from the rich particularly that set of royals. You hate them even more because Nottingham because he tried time after time to steal Marian from you. We both know he's the reason she's dead. Oh yes, I know all about you, Robin Hood and I'm here to tell you, teaming up with the Evil Queen will lead to nothing but death. You see, I have a special task for the queen; she's resisting right now but, she's going to come around. If I were you, I'd do all that I could to stay away from her; because if you don't, well…it won't be anything pretty" Pan said before disappearing from sight, leaving Robin completely confused.

He had to get off of this bloody island, fast.

oOoOo

 _I'll just have to have The Evil Queen pay a visit; I do believe you've kept her in her cage for far too long…_

Pan's words continued to ring in her ears as she allowed Gold to lead her to the water's edge. There wasn't much Regina was afraid of in life. She learned early on to fear no one and nothing, but there was one thing she always did fear: The Evil Queen.

The Evil Queen had become the bane of her existence. At first, she loved the queen, loved relishing in the power she felt at killing Leopold, at destroying anyone who dared get in her way. She loved what the queen represented: freedom, strength. However as her time as queen continued, Regina slowly realized that being The Evil Queen didn't change what happened, it didn't make the people love her. Soon enough, The Evil Queen became someone she hated; but because she was so far removed from who she once was, the Queen was familiar to her. Now that she had something to live for, someone to fight for, there was no way in hell she was going to let Pan or the Evil Queen take that from her.

"So, just how do you plan to travel back to Storybrooke?" Rumple asked as a rustle came from the trees nearby. Never knowing who it could be, both Rumple and Regina aimed fireballs, only dropping them at the sight of Robin Hood.

"Oh, it's just you...how'd you find me anyways?" Regina asked as Rumple eyed the pair curiously.

"Cavorting with thieves now dearie?" Rumple questioned as Regina rolled her eyes.

"Relax; his son's trapped here in Neverland too, thanks to your son," Regina said as Rumple's expression became stone cold.

"Don't play with me Regina; we both know Neal is dead," Rumple said through gritted teeth as Robin stepped forward.

"He's most certainly not; he fell into The Enchanted Forest through a portal of some sort. He came to your castle and-"

"What were you doing in my castle? Didn't you learn the last time?" Rumple snarled, prepared to use magic on the thief.

"I only came upon it after it had been looted by thieves" Robin explained as the imp glowered at him.

"Go on, Robin," Regina said as Robin glanced between the two of them, thinking back to Pan's words.

"Right; like I said, Neal came to your castle, looking for a way to get here, to get back to Emma and Henry. The only way he could get here was my son, Roland" Rumple's eyes rose in surprise.

"She had the child?" Rumple asked as Robin nodded.

"Yes, but we lost her a short time after" Robin said quietly.

"All magic comes with a price" Rumple mumbled as Robin nodded once more before continuing.

"As I was saying, the only way to get to Neverland was to call upon some shadow"

"And he used your boy to do it…but that doesn't explain-"

"That shadow was going to carry Roland away; I wasn't going to lose my son, something you know about all too well, Dark One" Robin snapped as Rumple stepped forward, though Regina stood in between them.

"Enough already! Your son is alive and is apparently in Pan's custody along with Henry and Roland. That little maggot all has people we love, we need to work together to get them back. So either settle whatever issues you two have with one another or get the hell out of my way" Regina snapped as the two men stared one another down.

"It was brave of you to attach yourself to the shadow to save your son; incredibly stupid, but brave" Rumple muttered as Robin glared at him, as Regina glanced between the two of them once more.

"By the way, how the hell do you two know one another?" Regina asked

"Robin and I have...history," Rumple said, keeping his eyes on the thief.

"What kind of history?" Regina asked quirking an eyebrow between the two as Robin shifted uncomfortably.

"I...stole from the Dark One" Robin said quietly, his head bowed as Regina's eyebrows raised slightly

" _And lived to tell the tale_? I'm impressed" The Queen said nodding

"I only stole to save my wife Marian; she was quite ill and the only way to save she and Roland was to steal the black fairy's wand, which Rumpelstiltskin had,"

"Wow; that's pretty daring... _and you didn't try and kill him_?" Regina said turning to Rumple

"...Belle" he muttered quietly

"Ah, the bookworm prevented you from killing him," Regina said as Rumple nodded as Robin cleared his throat.

"So I'm assuming that since the two of you are together, that you have a plan?"

"We do; Rumple has something in his shop back in Storybrooke that he says we can use to contain Pan and get our sons"

"...But we're in Neverland" Robin stated plainly

"I know that! Which is why I have a plan"

"A plan which I'd love to know about," Rumple said as Regina reached down to grab a seashell.

"If you think summoning a giant squid is the answer, I've already tried that," Rumple said as Regina turned to him, her eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Well you've had fun, haven't you? I have no intention of ordering calamari" Regina said as she spoke into the seashell.

"What are you-" Robin began as Regina held up a hand, keeping her eyes on the water as a mermaid appeared.

"Hello Ariel, long time," Regina said

"It's true mermaids can travel across realms, but they can't be trusted," Rumple said looking over at Regina.

"This one can; we have history together" Regina explained

"Well that would explain the distasteful look in her face," Rumple said with a smirk.

"And now she's going to help us," Regina said as the young mermaid tried to talk, but couldn't.

"Oh right, your voice," Regina said, waving a hand out towards the mermaid.

"Why would I help you?" Ariel snapped

"Because I can give you what you want; I can give you legs, Ariel. And this time control over them, and more importantly I can give you what you need most" Regina said, conjuring a magical bracelet.

"What?" Ariel asked, still completely skeptical of Regina.

"The place I'm sending you, among its residents, is your Prince Eric" Regina said, watching as Ariel's eyes lit up.

"What's the name of this place?" Ariel asked

"Storybrooke," Regina said with a grin

 _Chapter 6 to follow..._


	6. Chapter 4

***trigger warnings will now appear for mentions of torture, both physical and mental; other trigger warnings for heavier subjects will be added as the story progresses***

 ***Also note that the storylines Rumple, Zelena, Pan and Robin have been altered to a certain degree. Just to be clear: Pan is** _ **not**_ **Rumple's father,** **there will NOT be ANY time travel, and Regina is not responsible for Marian's death (Marian's death is briefly addressed in chapter 5).***

 **Disclaimers:**

 **1\. I do NOT own ANY characters, ships or storylines; they all belong to their respectful owners. I only own the things that are AU which include storylines and original characters.**

 **2\. Some of my writing may involve heavy subject matter (i.e., drug abuse, abortion, sexual assault etc.) as well as a great deal of strong language along with strong to mild sexual content. I do NOT in ANY way support any heavy subject matter I may write about. Please note that if you continue to read after seeing any disclaimers or trigger warnings, you are from that point forward reading at your own risk. Anyone who wishes to read after disclaimers and warning labels (which are placed at the beginning of each chapter), may voice their complaints in a review or PM, but I am not at liberty to respond.**

 **3\. Updates for any story that I write are based on the time and availability I have to plot, research, write, edit, and update a chapter. Updates are also based on my creativity and muse; I would rather a story be on an indefinite hiatus than to force myself to give a rushed and uninspired update. Any updates I do will be sporadic and consist of single to multiple chapters being published at any given time.**

* * *

Neverland:

Their journey was anything but pleasant.

It was difficult for the heroes to work with well-known villains like Regina, Gold, and Hook. However, they knew that in order to save Henry, working with the villains seemed to be their only option. Unfortunately for Snow, Charming and Emma, the only villain that seemed to be willing to cooperate was Hook. Rumpelstiltskin was the first to disappear and now Regina had disappeared. Hook cited her running off to her frustration at not being able to find Henry. Emma knew Regina well enough to know that she would never leave without Henry. Emma also knew that while she had magic, it wouldn't be strong enough to fight off an attack from Pan and the Lost Boys.

"We have to find her," Emma said to the others

"Maybe the queen doesn't want to be found," Hook said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Or maybe, she's decided to stop playing good and step into the bad side," Pan said

"You seem surprised to hear that; we all know who she is," Pan said.

"Regina risked too much to come here and suddenly turn on us," Snow replied

"Exactly what has being good gotten her? A son who believes that she's an Evil Queen and a group of heroes she knows will never trust her. Regina realized that it doesn't matter what she does, Henry will _never_ love her. She also knows that you all will _never_ forgive her for what she's done,"

"That's not true," Emma said.

"She cursed you all for 28 years, that's 28 years of you being an orphan. Regina tried to kill you bu instead she nearly killed Henry with a poison apple. Is that the kind of woman who can so easily be forgiven?" Pan said

"The Queen's changed," Hook said

"I'm really surprised at you Captain; you should know better than anyone what happens when you cross me," Pan said, glaring back at Hook.

"You don't scare us. We know Regina, she's changed" Snow said

"You're still naïve Snow, always willing to believe the best of people. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Regina isn't going to save you" Pan said as Emma tilted her head, staring intently at him.

"He's lying," Emma said

"Oh am I? And how do you know that I'm lying Miss Swan?"

"Let's just call it a superpower that I have," Emma said with a shrug

"You really think you know Regina, don't you savior?" Pan asked, walking closer to the blonde haired woman.

"I know her well enough to know that conspiring with you isn't her style. Now where is she and what did you do to her?" Emma asked.

oOoOo

"What did who do to me?" Regina asked, causing the group to turn around and look at her

"You're back...and you've got company," Snow said, eying Rumpelstiltskin and the man standing with them.

"I figured you idiots would need saving at some point so, I came back," Regina said with a shrug

"Regina, you can't just run off and bring new people back with you," Charming said, eyeing the man standing next to Rumpelstiltskin.

"Would you relax? Robin Hood is completely harmless" Regina said with an eye roll.

"Robin Hood, from Sherwood Forest?" Snow said with a smile

"I'm originally from Locksley, but I'm indeed Robin Hood," he said as he slightly bowed

"Oh, you don't have to-"

" I know who you are, Snow White," Robin said

"Wait…Robin Hood?" Emma asked as Regina rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Miss Swan, Robin Hood," Regina said as Robin gave Emma a smile.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Emma; Neal talked about you quite a bit," Robin said as Emma stared at him in shock.

"You knew Neal?" Emma whispered

"Robin, they don't know," Regina said quietly

"Don't know what?" Emma snapped, causing Regina to take a deep breath.

"Neal's alive," Regina said as Emma shook her head slowly.

"Regina, Neal's dead. I saw him; he got shot and fell through a portal," Emma said softly

"He's actually quite alive; he landed in the Enchanted Forest and used my son to get to Neverland" Robin explained as Snow stared at him for a few moments before glancing at Regina.

"Regina, how did you find Robin Hood…and what happened to your arm?" Snow asked

"He shot me" Regina muttered

"Who Pan?" Charming asked

"Careful love, Pan's arrows are drenched in dreamshade, a powerful poison" Hook warned

"Not Pan you idiots, Robin!" Regina shouted

"Wait, _you_ _shot Regina with an arrow_?" Emma said, a smirk already forming on her lips

"No, the better question is how did you manage to shoot the queen and live to tell it?" Hook asked with amusement

"It was an accident" Robin protested as Regina snorted

"One that almost cost me my damn arm" Regina muttered

"Well if you weren't so bloody impatient..." Robin began

"Never thought I'd see the day someone went toe to toe with the Queen" Hook muttered

"Neither did I," Charming said.

"That's quite enough arguing," Rumple said moving between the pair

"Back to Snow's question, how did you manage to find Gold and Robin Hood?" Emma asked

"I have no idea how Regina found Robin Hood, but she saved me from Pan," Rumple said

"Regina saved you?" Emma asked in surprise

"That she did; Pan tried to convince me to leave you all on this island"

"Who knew the crocodile could be bested" Hook smirked

"I think we both know that anything is possible on this island, pirate," Gold said, sending Hook a glare.

"I had no choice but to save him. He's my son's other grandfather and the most practitioner of magic. We needed him alive" Regina said with a shrug as Snow smiled

"Why are you grinning like that?" Regina asked the princess

"Because, you're finally starting to realize that we're a-"

"No, Snow, we're not"

"Regina-"

"We're not a family!" Regina snapped as everyone glanced at her, causing the queen to sigh

"I'm sorry. I don't do family and togetherness well," Regina said quietly

"Well that's the only way to get us out of here," Emma said

"Regina and I may have a plan that could easily defeat Pan," Rumple said

"I should've known you two would have a plan. How dangerous is it?" Hook asked

"And how much magic is involved" Charming chimed in

"Oh relax, there's no harm done," Regina said dismissively

"This whole damn island's a bloody trap. Pan sets the rules and we have no choice but to abide by them"

"Unless we change the rules," Regina said with a smile

"Are you mad? There's no way we could-" Hook began

"We could contain him" Rumple chimed in

"If you two think you can contain Peter Pan you're crazier than I thought," Hook said

"You're not the only one who's faced him, pirate," Rumpelstiltskin said

"So what's your plan?" Emma wanted to know

"Well back at my shop-"

"Your shop? How the hell-?"Emma began

"Will you shut up and let him finish!" Regina snapped at Emma

"As I was saying, back at my shop, I have the perfect item to contain him. Regina found a way to get back to Storybrooke to retrieve it"

"And how do plan on getting back to Storybrooke?" Charming asked

"A mermaid" Regina said simply

"Mermaids can't be trusted," Hook said

"Ah yes but, there's one that can be" Regina grinned

"...Ariel" Snow said in realization

"Yes" Regina nodded

"And why would Ariel-" Charming began.

"Wait, you mean The Little Mermaid Ariel?" Emma asked

"Yes Miss Swan, that's the one," Regina said rolling her eyes

"But why would Ariel help you?" Snow asked

"Eric is in Storybrooke and because I gave her legs and her voice back," Regina said with a shrug

"Wait, you stole her voice? I thought Ursula-?" Emma questioned

"Ursula was just a myth Miss Swan," Regina said

"Wow" Emma muttered

"Ariel is on her way to Storybrooke as we speak to retrieve the item that can be used to stop Pan", Gold said

"And what item might that be?" Hook wanted to know

"I'm not telling. Just know that once Pan is in it, he won't be a threat anymore"

"And what of the shadow?" Robin Hood asked

"I'll take care of that" Rumple said

"So we go in there, trap Pan, get Henry-" Charming said

"And my son Roland" Robin chimed in

"We go in there, grab Henry and Roland we go home?"

"Wait, what about Neal?" Emma asked

"Pan took him when he took Roland," Robin said

"Don't worry Miss Swan, we're not leaving this island without my son," Rumpelstiltskin said

Who's to say Pan doesn't already know what we have planned?" Hook questioned

"He has a point Gold" Regina muttered

"Don't you worry dearie, just focus getting your son and going home"

"But what about-?" Regina began as Gold held up a hand.

"Regina, just trust me on this," Rumple said quietly

"Wait, what aren't you two telling the rest of us?" Emma wanted to know as Gold and Regina exchanged glances.

"Something's up between the two of them," Charming said eyeing the pair.

"Regina, what's going on?" Emma asked the queen who sighed heavily.

"After I left...Pan came to me, offered me a deal" Regina said

"What kind of deal?" Emma questioned

"I'd rather not say…" Regina said, looking down at the ground

"Regina, my son's life-" Emma snapped.

"He's my son too, not just yours! You don't get to traipse in here after 10 years of being gone and suddenly think you know what's best for him!" Regina yelled

"You're the reason we're even here in the first place! You nearly killed him with that apple turnover and you're calling me a bad mother!?" Emma shouted

"You abandoned him!" Regina countered

"This wouldn't be happening if you hadn't cast a curse that tore me away from my parents for 28 years! How'd you even get Henry anyway? What did you do, use your magic to steal him from some other family?" Emma snapped.

Regina stared at Emma. How dare she accuse her of using Henry as a pawn in her curse? Regina felt the tendrils of magic swirling around her, bursts of purple magic sparking at her fingertips.

"What, no smart remark?" Emma snapped.

Regina blinked and almost instantly, Emma transformed into her mother, Cora.

" _These people will never love you Regina and neither will that boy. Do you want to know why they'll never love you? It's because you're evil dear, you were born this way and that's never changing. Look at them, they only see your sins, what you've done to them_ " Cora said as Regina shook her head.

"Regina, are you okay?" Snow asked

"I see no use arguing with a woman who gave up her son after being sent to jail," Regina said as Emma glared at her.

"At least I wasn't the one who tried to kill Henry," Emma said

Unable to control herself, Regina raised her hands, sending Emma flying across the forest floor.

"Regina!" Snow shouted before rushing towards Emma.

"Pan was right," Emma said as she sat up.

"Right about what?" Regina growled.

"About who you are and who you'll always be: evil. You might be trying, but it'll never stick" Emma said.

Regina glared at Emma for a few moments before disappearing into a cloud of purple smoke.

oOoOo

"Congratulations Miss Swan, you did exactly what Pan wanted you to do," Rumple said with a sigh

"What?! How is this my fault? She used magic against me!" Emma shouted

"From what I can gather, Pan is already trying to wear at her resolve, and you just put another chink in her armor" Gold said as Emma stared at him like a petulant child.

"Exactly what is Pan trying to do to Regina?" Snow asked, slowly making her way towards Rumpelstiltskin.

"There are only two ways to defeat Pan and save Henry and the only people who can do that are myself and Regina" Rumple explained

"Why you two?" Charming asked

"Because we're both valuable to Pan; Captain, I'm sure you're familiar with the heart of the truest believer?" Gold said turning to face Hook

"Aye; but what does that…Henry's got the heart of the truest believer" Hook said

"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on and what does this have to do with Henry?!" Emma shouted

"A long time ago, Pan began searching for a boy. According to legend, Pan traded something of great value to him in order to remain young" Hook explained.

"And you think Henry's the heart of the truest believer?" Emma asked in bewilderment.

"It makes perfect sense Miss Swan; Henry was the one to bring you to Storybrooke, got you to believe in magic and bring back the happy endings and break Regina's curse," Gold said as Emma leaned against a nearby tree.

"That doesn't explain how you and Regina play into this" Charming asked as Rumple sighed.

How could he tell them that Pan was actually his brother? How could he tell them that it was prophesized that Henry would be his downfall? No, Rumple wouldn't tell them that; it wasn't necessary information. Plus, there was no way he could kill his own grandson.

"A prophecy was given long ago that said I would be Pan's undoing" Rumple explained.

"So you're going to defeat Pan then?" Hook asked, not convinced by Gold's words.

"The only way to stop Pan is for me to die," Gold said

"What about Regina?" Snow asked.

"What Pan needs from Regina is something we should all fear," Gold said

"What does he need from her?" Emma snapped

"Pan needs Henry's heart, but he can't take it himself. It has to be taken in an act of betrayal; he has to lose his belief. What worse way than for Regina, the one who Henry believes in the most, to rip out his heart? Regina's strong, but Pan knows all of her weaknesses." Gold explained.

"And for Regina, her greatest weakness is that all of the good she's done will never be enough. She said something to me while we were battling Cora; she said that being good only got her dinner with a group of people who will never truly believe she's changed" Snow said.

"Shit; we have to find Regina," Emma said

"Wait! What happens if Pan forces Regina to take Henry's heart?" Robin asked

"Nothing good. If Pan gets his hands on Henry's heart, he'll become immortal" Rumple said quietly.

"Bloody hell, we have to find Regina before Pan does," Hook said.

oOoOo

Regina was angry. None of the things Emma said were true; she didn't intend for Henry to eat that apple turnover. She had no idea who Henry's birth mother was when she adopted him. When she did find out, she still kept him, loved him with all her heart. When she opened her eyes, she found herself back at the small stream she drank from earlier. Kneeling down, Regina cupped her hands, splashing water on her face before taking a sip.

"I see you've realized that no matter what, they'll never accept you," Pan said, causing Regina to turn around and face him

"If you think that a little spat between Emma and I is going to cause me to rip out my son's heart, then you're a bigger idiot than I thought," Regina said as she stood.

"Oh Regina, my fun's only beginning. You may think your resolve is strong, but you'll give in, sooner than you think" Pan said before disappearing, leaving Regina alone with her thoughts. Not long after that, there was a rustling heard in the leaves. Regina turned around and aimed a fireball at whoever was hiding in the bushes. She quickly put out the fireball when she saw Robin Hood with his hands in the air.

"I come in peace," he said as he slowly made his way towards her.

"How the hell did you find me?" Regina asked.

"I have my ways," Robin said with a smirk

"Rumpelstiltskin told us of how Pan plans to make you rip out your son's-"

"I'm not going to do it if that's what you're thinking," Regina said

"I'm most certain you won't," Robin said.

"And how can you be so sure? You heard the savior, I'm evil; always have been, always will be" Regina muttered.

"You're far from evil, your majesty," Robin said softly.

"I told you before, Regina's just fine," she said

"Fine then. You aren't a bad person, Regina" Robin said

"And you can say this after wandering around in a forest with me?" she scoffed

"It was easy to tell that you're just misunderstood," Robin said softly

"You think I'm misunderstood?" Regina asked.

"Very much so. I personally believe you hide behind the evil moniker to keep yourself from being hurt again. But what do I know, I'm just a thief" Robin said teasingly

"That you are," Regina said with a smile

"It's nice," Robin said quietly

"What?" Regina asked

"Seeing you smile; you should do it more often," he said

"I suppose I will once I get my son back," Regina said

"As will I" Robin nodded

"Tell me about him, your son" Regina asked

"His name is Roland," Robin said

"Roland; it's a cute name," she said softly.

"His mother wanted to name him after me but, I didn't want him to be a 'Robin Jr'" Robin chuckled

"I named Henry, after my father," Regina said softly

"Does he live up to the name?"

"More than I could have imagined," Regina said, wiping away a stray tear

"We'll find him, Regina, we'll find them both," Robin said

"What's that?" she asked as she noticed a tattoo on his forearm.

"Oh, this? It's a tattoo of a Lion; it represents strength" Robin said

Regina's eyes widened; this was the man who had been prophesied to her so many years ago.

"Milady, are you alright?" Robin asked

"I'm fine; how long have you had your tattoo?" she asked

"I've had it since I was a young lad. Why, does it interest you?"

"What?" Regina asked

"My tattoo; you seem interested in it," Robin said.

"Oh I just, I've never seen a tattoo like this one before," Regina said as Robin hummed.

"You were telling me about your son, Roland. I'd like to know more about him" Regina said, quickly wanting to change the subject.

"Well, he's only 4 but, he has the biggest heart you ever did imagine..." Robin began as they sat side by side, sharing stories about their children. Little did they know someone was hiding in the bushes, carefully watching them the Queen in particular.

 _Chapter 7 to follow..._


	7. Chapter 5

***Trigger warning for mention of attempted suicide***

 **Disclaimers:**

 **1\. I do NOT own ANY characters, ships, or storylines. They all belong to their respectful owners. I only own the AU elements such as Canon Divergence, original characters, and AU plot/storylines.**

 **2\. Some of my writing may involve heavy subject matter (i.e. drug abuse, abortion, sexual assault etc) as well as a great deal of mild to strong language, and sexual content. I do NOT in ANY way support heavy subject matter I write about. Please note that if you continue reading after seeing any disclaimers or trigger warnings, which are placed at the beginning of the chapter, you are from that point forward reading at your own risk/volition.**

 **3\. Should you continue reading after trigger warnings and disclaimers are posted and decided to express your discomfort, dislike, disgust etc with the subject matter in a review please note that as the writer I am not at liberty to respond. See Disclaimer 2.**

 **4\. Updates for my stories are based on my creative availability to plot, research, write, edit, and post a chapter. Please note that I have a real life outside of fanfiction; while I appreciate the love and support, my personal life comes first.**

* * *

Neverland:

She'd heard that there were newcomers on the island, but the Evil Queen was not someone she was expecting. It had been many years since the Queen had burned her, but it didn't mean that Tinkerbell was not privy to how her life transpired after their encounter. She'd suffered greatly; good, she deserved it. Now her boy was here on the island with Pan,which was exactly what the former fairy needed. She'd tracked the Queen for days and had finally caught up with her. She watched from the bushes nearby as she talked with a man. All she had to do, was get the man out of the way and then, she would have her revenge on the woman who ruined her life all those years ago.

 _The Enchanted Forest-Many Years Ago_

 _She was alone, again; a fancy meal set out before her with no one to share it with; some life of a queen she thought to herself as she sat sipping on her wine._

" _I thought you were dead," Rumpelstiltskin said, suddenly appearing at the opposite end of the table, startling Regina._

" _Go away" Regina said lowly before taking another sip of her wine_

" _When you didn't show up for your lesson I assumed you'd went toes up! And yet here you are" he said, his voice high pitched and giddy as he stood, surveying the table._

" _Roast Swan" he giggled_

" _That's amusing; you'll get that later" he said still walking towards her_

" _I'm not sure about these lessons anymore; I don't wanna have a future that looks like..."_

" _Like what?"_

" _Like you"_

" _Oh, feeling a little persecuted are we your majesty?" Rumple said, feigning mock hurt_

" _Well why shouldn't I? I'm the queen but, I'm practically a prisoner, with a husband whose heart is still with his dead wife and his insipid daughter...it's intolerable," Regina said, trying to calm down her rage_

" _I have nothing to do and nowhere to go; I need freedom, I need options," she said as she stood from her chair, Rumpelstiltskin watching her closely, a faint smile forming across his lips_

" _Ah, see, it can't be done; this is how it is: you think, you are the diner at the feast, tasting the offerings. A little love, a little darkness. What you don't realize is, you_ _ **are**_ _the feast, and the darkness has tasted, you!" he said giddily as Regina's expression changed._

" _Ugh, you're vile! Leave my home!" she shouted_

" _The darkness likes how you taste dearie; it doesn't mind the bitter. And now that it's started the meal, it's gonna finish it. You can no more fly from your fate, than can that Swan. See you tomorrow, don't be late; oh, and bring that simmering rage...it's all ya have" the imp said before disappearing into the darkness, leaving Regina alone._

 _What he'd said made sense, she had nothing left. Daniel was dead and she had no other family besides her father. Rumpelstiltskin's words were enough to infuriate her as she marched into her bedroom and over towards the balcony. Her hands gripped the railing as she looked out at the vastness of her kingdom, closing her eyes with a sigh. She was angry, tired, and alone; oh so alone; she banged her hands on the railing, once, twice, almost a third time before the railing came apart, causing her to fall. As she let out a scream, she saw her whole life flashing before her eyes; her only regret was that she had let Snow White live. Just as she was about to meet her impending end, she found herself suspended in mid air by green smoke. She was confused, had someone saved her? Why? She soon found herself face to face with a tiny creature, a fairy._

" _Put me down! What are you doing!?" she shouted_

" _Giving you a second chance," the fairy said before waving her wand, sending Regina up into the air and back onto the balcony, fixing the railing._

 _Once she was safely back in her room, the fairy appeared before her once more, only this time she was full size._

" _Who are you?" Regina asked_

" _I'm Tinkerbell," she said_

oOo

She couldn't stop staring at it; Robin Hood was her soulmate, the man with the Lion Tattoo. Regina couldn't wrap her head around it; she was sure that this man had moved on with his life or died at some point. But here he was, in the flesh talking to her. Not only was he here talking to her, but he was a smelly thief from the forest! She vaguely remembered Robin Hood besides the Sheriff of Nottingham annoying her about catching him. This had to be some sort of cruel joke; fate was playing with her. There was no way this man could be her soulmate; but the proof was staring her right in the face.

"Do you think you might want to head back to camp?" Robin asked Regina as the two sat side by side on a fallen tree log.

"I'm pretty sure Miss Swan and everyone else will be ready to have me tarred and feathered if I go back," Regina said with a sigh

"Nonsense; they know who you are-"

"Please; Emma Swan and her idiotic father only see me for what I've done. And Hook will believe anything Emma tells him"

"There's always Snow," Robin said hopefully as Regina snorted

"Snow will pretend to see the good in even Satan himself"

"Well, what about me?"

"What about you?"

"What if I said I could see you?" Robin asked as Regina scoffed

"What?"

"I can see you for who you really are" Robin said

"And exactly who am I, thief?" Regina asked with a raised eyebrow

"You're a woman with a painful past; a woman who's been hurt so many times that she hides behind this 'Evil Queen' moniker." he said softly as he stared into her eyes.

"You don't know me Robin Hood...I'm not as good as you would like to believe," Regina said quietly

"You can say what you want, but I believe that there's good in you," Robin said

"If you believe that, then you're a bigger fool than I thought," another voice said as both Robin and Regina turned around. Walking towards her was none other than Tinkerbell herself; this day just couldn't get any worse Regina thought to herself.

"Hello, Tinkerbell," Regina said

"Your majesty," The blonde fairy said mockingly

"You two know each other?" Robin asked

"Is there anyone that the queen doesn't know? She did to me what she's done to so many others: she ruined my life!" Tink shouted

"Regina?" Robin asked as Regina sighed

"Go on your majesty, tell him how you ruined my life", Tinkerbell said; she stood there with her hands folded across her chest and a scowl on her face

"Regina, is it true?" Robin asked quietly

"She can't say anything because she knows it's true," Tinkerbell said

"Regina, how did you ruin her life?" Robin asked

"A long time ago, I met Tinkerbell, back when she was still a fairy..." Regina said quietly

oOo

 _The following afternoon, Regina and Tink met again to talk; and as they talked, Tink learned of the reason behind Regina's unhappiness: Snow White._

" _Snow White? That's her name? Even I think that's a bit precious and mine's Tinkerbell" the young fairy said as the two sipped their drinks_

" _She's a monster; totally indulged and adored; she sort of ricochets through life, telling people's secrets...she had my fiance killed," Regina said leaning forward in her seat_

" _No!" Tinkerbell said in shock_

" _The only way I can get through it is, she and the king are gone all the time"_

" _You're glad your husband's gone?" Tink asked as Regina scoffed, shaking her head_

" _It's not a marriage; it's a farce. I may be the queen, but alone in that palace I feel like the queen of nothing" Regina said lowly_

" _No wonder you jumped," Tink said nonchalantly, taking a sip of her drink as Regina looked at her._

" _I didn't jump, I fell" Regina corrected her_

" _Right, you fell"_

" _I did...but if I had, well here's to good reasons," she said with a laugh as she toasted with Tinkerbell._

" _Y'know, I've got an idea"_

" _Hmm?"_

" _I can help people find what they need Regina"_

" _And what do I need?"_

" _You don't even know? That's so sad! Regina, love, you need love" Tinkerbell said_

" _You're gonna help me find another soulmate?" Regina said, highly skeptical of the idea_

" _It is possible to find love again; I've never seen pixie dust fail. It will find you your perfect match, if you let it, it will find your happy ending"_

" _My happy ending looks like Snow's head on a plate" Regina deadpanned_

" _No! Aren't you at least curious? What if I can do what I say?"_

" _Well then I'd say that's real magic," Regina said mockingly_

" _Well I'm a fairy, you might wanna try believing in me," ,Tink said as they stood, preparing to leave._

" _You really think this will make me happy?" Regina asked Tink_

" _I know it will" Tink said as the bell rang_

" _I'm late; I have to go, see you soon," she said, taking out her wand and shrinking down to fairy size before disappearing._

oOo

"She was a fairy?" Robin said

"Back in the Enchanted Forest; we met not long after I'd married the king and started training with Rumpelstiltskin," Regina said

"I should have listened to Blue when she told me not to trust you," Tinkerbell said angrily

"Regina, what did you do to her?" Robin asked

"Tink and I have...a complicated history," Regina said, keeping her eyes on the fairy

"A complicated...you're calling it complicated!? Regina, I lost my wings because of you!" Tinkerbell shouted as Robin stood

"Don't come any closer!" He said firmly as the young fairy shook her head with a laugh

"You think you can hurt me? Well too bad, you can't! The queen here has hurt me enough to last a lifetime" Tink said angrily as she walked towards Regina

"I warned you, don't-" Robin began, only to be knocked unconscious by a substance that Tink threw at him.

"What the hell did you do to him!?" Regina shouted

"Don't worry; he'll live," Tinkerbell said

"What are you gonna do, kill me?" Regina asked

"I could kill you, hell I _should_ kill you! I'm sure I'd be doing _everyone_ in The Enchanted Forest a favor if I did...let's go" she said harshly as she moved to tie Regina's hands, pushing her forward, away from Robin.

oOo

 _That night Regina sat at her vanity, writing in her diary when she sees Tinkerbell's reflection in her mirror._

" _Wanna fly?" Tinkerbell asked as Regina stood, amazed at the fact that she had come back_

" _You got it?!"_

" _And then some, let's get started! Helping you find your happiness, saving you...that's what's gonna save me" Tink said as Regina continued to walk towards her._

" _This isn't your pixie dust, is it?" Regina asked_

" _Well when you think about it, does anyone really own pixie dust?" Tink asked, completely avoiding the question_

" _The fairies are quite, proprietary about it. They find out you stole it they would-" Regina began_

" _Don't worry about me; this is about you," Tink said, waving her wand, causing a bright green to glow over Regina_

" _C'mon," she said as Regina slowly floated into the air_

 _As they traveled through the sky, Tink used her wand, allowing the pixie dust to guide them. It shot through the air, making its way to its target, the place where they would find Regina's soulmate._

" _Now watch" Tink said, gesturing towards the pixie dust_

" _What's that?" Regina asked_

" _That is your happy ending; he's down there" Tink said as the two flew in the direction of the glowing pixie dust. The pixie dust soon led them outside of a tavern, and inside stood the a man who would give Regina her happy ending._

" _Inside here lies the beginning of your happiness," Tink said as they approached the tavern door._

" _All the pain in your past will be just that; the past" Tink said as they peered through the small window_

" _I just need a moment," Regina said, breathing deeply as she straightened her clothes, causing Tink to turn and look at her._

" _You're nervous, I get it" Tink said before turning her attention back to the window_

" _But look, there he is; the guy with the Lion tattoo"_

" _That's him?" Regina asked_

" _Pixie dust doesn't lie" Tink said turning to face Regina_

" _Come on, this is your chance at love and happiness; a fresh start, no baggage. You can let got of all the anger that weighs you down; go get 'em" Tink said softly_

" _Okay, okay I can do this; I can be happy," Regina said with a smile_

" _I know you can," Tink said_

" _Go," Tink said before giving her friend a pat on the back as she quickly hurried off._

 _As Tink left, Regina stood there for a moment, contemplating it all. She could do this, she could be happy, yes, she could she told herself. She placed her hand on the door, flinging it open as she stood there, her eyes scanning the crowd in search of the man with the Lion tattoo, the man destined to be her soulmate. However, as she stood there staring at him, fear took over and soon, Regina found herself closing the door, running off in the other direction._

* * *

Everything was fuzzy when he opened his eyes; it took him a moment to adjust. He sat up rubbing his head, trying to gather his thoughts. He was still in the same spot where he and Regina…he suddenly remembered! A young woman, some fairy named Tinkerbell had knocked him out. He glanced around, sighing heavily when neither Regina nor the fairy were in sight. Robin stood and stretched his back before heading back in the direction of the camp. He needed to find the others and get to Regina.

Meanwhile, the others were still in shock over the news that Rumpelstiltskin had given him.

"You really think Regina will take Henry's heart?" Charming asked

"If she does, it won't be by choice," Rumple said

"I don't get it; why does it have to be Regina to rip out his heart? I'm his mother he believes in me the most" Emma said

"As I told you on the ship Miss Swan, you believed, not for yourself but because of Henry. This is no slight to you as a mother, but Henry and Regina have a bond that is undeniable. Henry is the only one who believes that Regina can change; the rest of us, don't" Rumple said

"That includes you as well?" Hook asked

"I trained Regina, I know her better than anyone on this island; I understand that Regina is driven by love. I also know that if Pan were to put Henry in any danger, Regina would do all that she could to stop it. I also know that Regina's greatest weakness is her belief that villains don't get happy endings. Her greatest fear is that no matter what she does, Henry will never love her the way that he loves Emma, even though she was the one who cared for him his entire love. Cora did quite a number of Regina, far greater than any of you understand. The biggest thing Regina struggles with is the one lesson Cora tried to teach her: love is weakness. Pan knows this, has been watching Regina for quite some time and he's going to use these things against her. If Pan finds her before we do well…it won't be pretty" Rumple explained just as there was a rustling coming from the bushes.

"Relax, it's just me" Robin said, holding his hands in the air. Everyone immediately noticed that Regina wasn't behind him.

"Robin, where's Regina?" Snow asked

"Someone, a fairy named, Tinkerbell took her; she knocked me out with some sort of potion and, when I woke up, Regina was gone"

"Wait...Tinkerbell?" Emma said with a sigh

"Yes, Tinkerbell does exist; she's been living on this island for quite some time now," Hook said

"What could she possibly want with Regina?" Snow asked

"Isn't it obvious? She wants revenge" Emma said as Robin glared at her

"Still out to make Regina into a villain aren't you?"

"It's not like I'm lying" Emma muttered

"Lying or not it was still your comment that set her off," Robin said

"Are you kidding me?! She used magic against me!" Emma shouted

"You accused her of trying to kill her own son!" Robin shouted

"I…" Emma began; she could not come up with a response to what he said.

It was true; she said it because she wanted to hurt Regina. If she were to be honest with herself, Emma was jealous of Regina's relationship with Henry. For the amount of time she was in Storybrooke she didn't feel that Regina would hurt Henry. Thinking back on it, Emma realized that the way she went about things with Henry was completely illegal, Archie told her so himself. Her influence on Henry when she first arrived wasn't a good one. He lied, he stole, he ran away from home and seemed to get himself into some pretty nasty scrapes.

"You're right; I did say what I said to hurt Regina," Emma said quietly; Emma instantly felt guilty for what she'd said, Regina wasn't a monster she was simply a woman who went through a bunch of shit.

"How do we find her?" Emma asked

"I don't know; the fairy said something about getting revenge on Regina. She said Regina was the one who cost her her wings" Robin told them.

"Why does that not surprise me?" Charming said with a sigh

"That's neither here nor there, what's important is finding out where Regina is" Rumple said

"That won't take long; Tink's one of the few people Pan trusts on this whole bloody island"

"Even more of a reason for us to get moving" Snow said

"If Pan wants Regina to rip out Henry's heart, then he'll do all he can to make sure she does. We need to do all we can to stop him" Hook said as the group marched forward in search of Regina.

oOo

 _A short time later, Tinkerbell found herself flying into Regina's room, eager to hear about what had happened at the tavern._

" _How'd it go?" Tink asked as Regina looked up at her_

" _Uh, it was..."_

" _What happened?" Tink asked as she turned to human form, making herself comfortable on Regina's bed_

" _I don't understand, you're not glowing with new love, you should be glowing," Tink said_

" _Because it didn't work; the pixie dust it was wrong. I went in and met him and he was awful, he was just...awful" Regina said with a frown_

" _Are you sure you went to the right man?" Tink asked_

" _Yes, the one with the lion tattoo; that wasn't the problem"_

" _Then what was?" Tink asked_

" _You"_

" _Me?"_

" _Yes, you; you're a terrible fairy"_

" _You didn't go in, did you?" Tink asked, still unconvinced that she had done something wrong_

" _How dare you?"_

" _It's okay, you were afraid"_

" _I'm not afraid of anything; I can't believe I let you distract me!" Regina said_

" _No, don't do it! What you need is love"_

" _I had love and he's dead! And I suffered, and what you sent me toward, wasn't gonna change that! Goodbye!" Regina said, ignoring the look of hurt on Tinkerbell's face_

" _What about me? I stole for you, and for nothing; I'm in big trouble!"_

" _As I said, you're a terrible fairy," Regina said, unable to look Tink in the eyes_

" _I thought we were friends"_

" _I don't have friends; fly away moth...don't let the doors catch your wings on the way out," Regina said with a smirk as Tink flew away._

oOo

Her arms were stiff; man, who knew fairies could tie such tight ropes she thought to herself as they reached a cave where Tink shoved her onto the ground. The look on the young fairy's face was quite a scary sight even for The Evil Queen.

"I've been looking forward to this chat for quite some time" Tink said, a hint of venom in her voice

"Look, you don't know why I'm here-" Regina began

"Oh I know exactly why you're here! You're trying to find your son" Tinkerbell said

"I take it by the restraints, you're not helping" Regina deadpanned

"Hell no; you're the last person I'd ever help after how you burned me"

"Burned you? You're the one who interfered in my life" Regina said angrily

"And threw away my own in the process!" Tinkerbell shouted

"So again I ask: what do you want from me, to kill me? You think it's that easy? I'm pretty sure whatever you used to knock Robin out with, I could tell it wasn't magic; I'd have sensed that. No, maybe poppies, but I'm sure they'll wear off. And since you had to resort to that, it only means one thing: you don't have magic…but I do" Regina said with a smirk. She stood up, using her strength to untie herself. However Tink was just as quick, holding a sphere to Regina's neck.

"Yeah, I know; but even _your_ magic can't stop this. Ever hear of dreamshade?" Tinkerbell asked

"Yes"

"Good"

"How the hell did you get like this?" Regina asked

"I met you"

"Okay, you wanna kill me? I can make it easier" Regina said before reaching into her chest and pulling out her heart.

"What are you-"

"You wanna kill me? Well don't let the poison do it, you should do it! Go ahead, crush it!" Regina shouted at the fairy, seeing the look of uncertainty in her eyes.

"You think I won't take it!" Tink shouted

"No I'm counting on it; show me who you are, Tinkerbell," Regina said as the young fairy took her beating heart into her hands, squeezing it gently, causing a soft moan to come from the queen.

"Do you know what you cost me?" Tink asked Regina as the realization hit her

"Your wings" She gasped

"Why?" Tink asked

"Why what? Why did I hand over my heart?"

"Why did you lie!? Because I've been over it a million times and that spell worked! You never went in, it's the only explanation! Why couldn't you just go through that door and meet your soulmate? Was being happy such a terrible fate!?"

"Yes, yes it was! You're right I never went it! I was afraid, I didn't...you said, I could let go of the anger that was weighing me down and suddenly it felt like without it I would just, float away. That anger was all I had, what would I be without it?!"

"Happy," Tink said, staring at the woman in disbelief as she shook her head

"Weak" Regina replied

"And look what good it did you, that strength you gained. Cause I'm holding your heart in my hand and I'm not hearing one reason not to squeeze it into ash"

"Alright you want a reason here you go: you think I was afraid, you think I did the wrong thing? Well fairy you're making the same choice; I picked revenge over hope, and you're holding the result. A small, hard, dark heart. If you make the same choice I did, then what you're looking at is your own future. I'm not gonna tell you what to do, the choice is yours. Kill me or, act like the fairy you are." Regina said as Tink turned to look at her

"You said, I was a terrible fairy"

"Well then prove me wrong; pick hope over anger...choose love and help me get my son back"

"You love your son?" Tink asked as Regina's smile brightened

"Very much; with Henry I finally got something right. Don't you wanna be able to say the same thing?" Regina asked

"It's too late for me" Tink said sadly

"Only if you kill me"

"I won't kill you, but I won't help you either; besides, it's probably too late. He's been with him too long" Tink said before handing Regina her heart back and walking away.

oOo

It didn't take long for the group to find Tink's hide out, which wasn't that far from her tree house. As she emerged from the cave, she was met by an array of Swords, arrows and fireballs.

"Where's Regina?" Emma asked

"Who the hell are you?" The young fairy asked, holding her hands up in the air

"A pissed off mother, where is she?" Emma asked again as another set of footsteps were heard approaching

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Regina said as she reached the group, her eyes finding Robin's immediately

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked

"I should be asking you the same thing," she said with a slight smile

"I'll be alright; my neck's a bit sore but, I'll be fine," he said

"You mind lowering those? You may stick me, but I'll take you down with me" Tink said

"She's okay; she's not gonna hurt us, stand down," Regina told them as everyone reluctantly put down their weapons.

"But is she going to help us?" Hook asked as his eyes met Regina's

"Well, look who the Queen dragged in; hello Hook"

"Lady Belle"

"She's not gonna help us," Regina said

"Why not?" Emma asked

"Tink, after all we've been through together, a little assistance," Hook said, giving the fairy his best puppy dog eyes

"She doesn't have any magic"

"No, pixie dust?" Charming asked

"Not even her wings," Regina said quietly, the guilt of what she'd done hitting her like a ton of bricks

"How?"

"I guess people just stopped believing in me; and even if I wanted to help you, he's too powerful," Tink said

"But you know where Pan is," Snow said

"Sure, but it won't do you a bit of good"

"Let us be the judge of that; does he trust you?"

"Can you get us inside his compound?" Emma asked

"Maybe; why should I help you?" Tink asked, folding her arms across her chest

"Because I believe in you," Snow said

"Just get us inside and we'll take care of things from there," Emma said

"And what's in it for me other than a death sentence from Pan once when you're gone with your boy?"

"You can come with us," Emma said

"That's right; a home, that is what you want, isn't it?"

"Okay, listen closely; Pan trusts me, he'll let me in...and maybe, _just maybe_ , I'll leave a way open for you; but you've only got one shot. So you'd better have a good plan"

"Thank you, we will" Emma said as they headed back towards camp, however Robin lingered behind to walk with Regina.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked quietly

"I told you, I'm fine," she said

"And your arm?"

"A little sore but, fine; it's no longer bleeding if that's what you're implying" she said as he looked over at her

"What?" she asked

"Nothing I'm just...I'm glad you're alright, that's all. She seemed intent on killing you"

"Well she wouldn't be the first...why would you care if she did?"

"Because I'd hate for Henry to lose his mother, and I'd hate to lose a friend"

"A friend? We're friends now?" Regina said with a raised eyebrow

"I like to think so," Robin said with a smirk as she rolled her eyes

"I don't do friends"

"You mean like you don't believe that you're nothing more than evil?"

"...Fine; but if we do this friend thing, we do it my way"

"As you wish, your majesty"

"Rule number one, _don't_ , call me your majesty...Regina's just fine"

"Alright then, Regina," Robin said, shaking his head with a smirk

"Rule number two...don't do that!"

"Do what?"

"That smirk thing where you think you've won some sort of prize" she snapped as Robin chuckled

"Anything you say, Regina"

oOo

That night as everyone settled in for the night, Tinkerbell found Regina sitting alone and decided to ask the one burning question she'd been wanting to know for years.

"Did you ever go back and find him, the man with the Lion tattoo?"

"No" she said quietly

"Unreal; do you know how selfish that is?" Tink asked

"It's a lot of things, but how is it selfish?" she asked

"Because you didn't just ruin your life, you ruined his"

"Well, it seems like fate has a way of catching up with me" Regina said as Tink turned to face her

"What do you mean?"

"You see that man over there, talking to Prince Charming?" Regina said pointing to Robin

"Yeah, what about him?" Tink asked

"Well, I was talking to him earlier and, you'll never guess what kind of tattoo he has on his arm" Regina deadpanned as Tink stared at her in disbelief

"No"

"Yep, it turns out, Pixie dust doesn't lie...it's him" She said with a sigh, running a hand through her hair

"Regina, do you know what this means?" Tink said

"Shh! Nobody else knows about this, not even him" Regina whispered

"Are you kidding me right now? He's over there and-"

"He's here, looking for his son, which means he could very well be married"

"Did you ask him?"

"No"

"So, anything could've happened; Regina, fate doesn't come around like this very often. If you've been given a third second chance at love, I suggest you take it"

"I'm here to find my son," Regina said firmly as Tink stood

"Why do I even bother," The fairy said before walking away, just as Robin walked towards her

"It appears you've upset her again," Robin said as he occupied the seat next to Regina where Tink once sat

"She'll be fine; she and I just...had a disagreement, that's all"

"Are you sure, because she looked pretty pissed when she walked away,"

"Nothing I can't handle," Regina said as Robin shook his head

"What?"

"You don't know how to do this, do you?" he said in amusement

"Do what?"

"How to be friends with someone"

"I suppose I don't"

"Well, allow me to introduce you to rule number one: don't piss off the two friends you have on this island; one of which happens to know how to help us get off this island and the other who needs you to be nice so that he can get his son"

"I'm sure you need to get back to your wife, who's probably missing you quite terribly right about now"

"...My wife's dead" Robin said quietly

"Oh, I'm, I'm sorry"

"It's fine; Roland never really got a chance to know his mother; she died when he was but a young lad"

"He's still pretty young"

"He was barely 2 then" Robin said quietly as Regina reached out to grab his hand

"I know what it's like, to lose the love of your life"

"Your love?" he asked as she nodded

"Tell me about him" Robin said as he stood, holding a hand out towards Regina

"It's alright; we're just gonna take a walk, that's all" he said as she stood, reluctantly taking his hand as they walked a short distance away from camp.

"His name was Daniel; he was a stable boy and...I loved him with everything I had inside of me" Regina said after a short silence as Robin looked over at her to continue

"I was around 18 at the time and, we wanted to get married, and we were going to...until I saved Snow from her run away horse"

"That's how you met Snow White?"

"Mmhm; I saved her from that horse, her father found me. His way of saying thank you was by asking for my hand in marriage"

"And you said yes?"

"No, my mother said yes for me; Daniel and I had planned on running away together that same night but, Snow caught us. She didn't understand, and that's when I taught her that love, true love, is the most powerful magic of all"

"You taught her about love?"

"I did" Regina nodded

"So I'm guessing this is the part where she told your secret?"

"Yep; I made her swear not to tell my mother about Daniel and me but...she did. My mother found out and she ripped his heart out and crushed it, right in front of me. I was...devastated to say the least; I married the king and, well, you know the rest"

"You became The Evil Queen" Robin said as Regina nodded.

She glanced over at Tinkerbell and thought of what she'd cost her. She thought about the fairy's words about Robin as well.

 _Because you didn't just ruin your life, you ruined his._

"Y'know, I didn't have to become the Evil Queen," Regina said quietly as Robin looked up at her with interest.

"You didn't?" Robin asked

"No; Tinkerbell told me that all I needed was love…she lead me to what she thought would be my happiness" Regina said; her heart was beating wildly in her chest. Should she tell him the truth, about who he was? No, she couldn't she wouldn't put his life at risk by telling him who he was to her. She was starting to like his friendship and didn't want to ruin it by some stupid prophesy.

"What happened?" Robin asked

"I ran away from it," Regina said sadly as Robin reached out to grab her hand.

"Perhaps you'll find it again," Robin said hopefully as tears burned in Regina's eyes.

"Yeah, maybe I will someday" She said softly.

oOo

 _Tears burned in Tinkerbell's eyes as she flew away from the queen's castle. How could Regina be so careless? Why couldn't she just go into the tavern and be happy? She recited the spell in her head dozens of times; there was no way that Regina went into that tavern. What was she going to do? She'd stolen pixie dust, broken curfew-_

 _"I tried to warn you Green" Blue said as she stood before Tinkerbell_

 _"Blue, let me explain-" Tinkerbell began_

 _"No! You disobeyed a direct order; I tried to tell you that Regina…there's no hope for someone like her" Blue said_

 _"How can you say that? We're fairies! We're supposed to be helping people!" Tinkerbell said_

 _"And we do; we help those who need our help; Regina does not" Blue said_

 _"How can she not need our help? The love of her life-"_

 _"I know all about Regina's pain, Green; but I also know who Regina's mother is and the lineage she comes from. I cannot risk the greater good to help someone who was born into darkness" Blue said_

 _"I don't understand it" Tinkerbell said, shaking her head_

 _"I tried to tell you about Regina, but you didn't listen to me; that spell-"_

 _"It worked! The pixie dust led us to her soulmate! She was just too scared to go in!" Tinkerbell argued as Blue's eyes widened; she hadn't been counting on that to happen. Maybe the ancient prophesy was true…no! It couldn't be, there was no way the purveyor of Gray magic could come through a lineage as dark as the Witch Hazel's. No, there was simply a glitch in Tinkerbell's spell; she was still but a young fairy anyways._

 _"No Tinkerbell; that spell was inaccurate. That man's life would not have been better if he'd met Regina. You deliberately disobeyed me and put the fate of the greater good in danger" Blue said taking a deep breath._

 _"Blue, please…" Tinkerbell begged with tears in her eyes._

 _"I'm so sorry Green" Blue said_

 _She waved her wand and instantly, Tinkerbell's wings disappeared; Blue watched with a sad expression as the young Green fairy fell from the sky._

oOo

 _Taking a deep breath, Blue used her magic to lead her to the tavern where the young queen's alleged soulmate was. There was no way that the gray would come from someone as dark as Regina, Blue wouldn't allow it. On her way to the tavern she came across a young woman who was in desperate need of help._

 _"What is it you need my child?" The Blue fairy said as she suddenly appeared in front of the young woman._

 _"I can't believe it's you, the Blue Fairy" the young woman said_

 _"Tell me, what's your name?" Blue asked_

 _"My name's Marian" she said_

 _Tinkerbell wandered around the Enchanted Forest for days in search of food and shelter. As she walked, all she could think about was the spell; there was no way that it could have been wrong! She also thought about how Blue seemed so convinced that there was no helping Regina. If that were so, then why had she been chosen to become a fairy? What was all of her teaching about helping those in need for? She sighed heavily as she continued to wander around; it wasn't until she came across an old gypsy woman who could sense her magic and told her of a place where she could be useful; Neverland it was called…_


	8. Chapter 6

***trigger warning minor character deaths, depictions of death, mentions/implications of sexual assault, abuse, and miscarriage***

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hello everyone, and Happy New Year!**

 **I know it's been a while since you saw an update for this fic. I have, to be honest with you guys: I've avoided writing fics for a while because reviews have become the bane of my existence these days. I've been hit with so many negative reviews that I actually DREAD getting review notifications. You see, it's one thing to leave constructive criticism, but to CONSTANTLY get reviews slamming your work, it gets tiring. Also, it's frustrating when people think it's okay to write hateful reviews and that if you don't agree with them they quickly assume that you can't take criticism or that you only want people to praise your work. That stuff is enough to put anyone down. I've NEVER, in the 4 years I've been writing fanfiction, wanted to delete my account as much as I have these last few months. I'm not saying this so that people will feel sorry for me; I'm saying this because it's become a trend for people to insult fic writers and think it's okay. If you don't like something, hit the back button and find something that makes you feel good. I think as readers and lovers of fanfiction that you guys forget that those of us who write fanfiction are human too. You guys forget that we have lives outside of fanfiction. You forget that we aren't professionals and we're going to make mistakes. I'm saying this on behalf of ALL fic writers: please be kinder to us….**

 **Disclaimers:**

 **I do NOT own ANY characters, ships, or storylines; they are all the property of their respectful owners. I only own AU/Canon Divergence elements such as plot lines, original characters, locations etc.**

 **Some of my writing involves heavy subject matter (i.e. drug abuse, abortion, sexual assault etc.)as well as a great deal of mild to strong language and sexual content. I do NOT in ANY way support heavy subject matter that I may write about. Please note that if you continue reading after seeing any disclaimers or trigger warnings, which are placed at the beginning of each chapter, you are from that point forward reading at your own risk/volition.**

 **Should you continue reading after trigger warnings and disclaimers are posted and decide to express your outrage, disgust, discomfort, etc with in a review, please note that a response to your review is at my discretion. For further explanation see disclaimer 2.**

 **Updates on my stories are based on my creative ability to plot, research, outline, write, edit and post a chapter. Please note that I have a real life outside of writing fanfiction; while I am humbled at the love and support I receive, my personal life comes first.**

 **A copy of my disclaimers can also be found on my profile page.**

* * *

Neverland-9 Days Ago

When he finally came to the surface, Henry Mills took a deep breath. He was grateful to feel his lungs expand and contract. Spending that much time in an underwater vortex wasn't good for his young body. He glanced around; so this was Neverland he thought to himself. He was more than certain that his moms would come and find him, but it didn't mean that he wouldn't try and get away first. Unfortunately, Greg and Tamara were smart enough to tie his hands so that running would be difficult. He struggled underneath Greg's grasp as he was shoved towards the shore line.

"Let's go," Greg said

"You won't get away with this, you know that right? My mom's gonna come get me, both of them," Henry told his captors.

"Look around kid, this isn't Storybrooke," Greg said as he glanced over at Tamara.

"Uh Greg, we've got an even bigger problem; our walkie talkies don't work." Tamara said.

Greg walked towards her, taking the walkie talkie from her; almost instantly he knew what was wrong.

"They're fake," Greg said as he shook sand from the devices.

"What the hell is going on?" Tamara muttered

"Huh, guess you don't know who you're working for," Henry said with a smirk.

"That doesn't matter; what matters is you getting to the head of the home office," Greg said as he shoved Henry forward.

Henry walked for what felt like hours before he reached a strange looking campsite. There was a large wall made of rock and bamboo that surrounded the camp. There were pillars of fire that sat on top of the wall. The campsite was protected by hooded figures in dark cloaks. Henry couldn't see their faces, but he could instantly tell that wherever Greg and Tamara were taking him was anything but fun.

"Is this the boy?" One of the hooded figures asked Greg

"We're positive it's him," Tamara replied

The two men standing guard exchanged looks before whispering to one another for a few moments. Finally, they turned to Greg, Tamara, and Henry and led them into the camp. Henry's eyes took in everything once he stepped inside. It was larger than what he'd expected; it looked like one of the small villages in his storybook. There were tiny huts made out of sticks and bamboo that were spaced out among the camp. There was a small alter that sat directly in the middle of the camp. There were tons of boys who looked to be around his age or a bit older. They seemed relatively happy, even if they were wearing scraps of clothing. The two boys led them further into the camp where a larger hut stood.

"Wait here," one of the boys said before disappearing into the hut, emerging a few minutes later.

"Well, well, well…I've been waiting a long time to meet you Henry. The name's Peter, Peter Pan" The young man said; he was slender with dark blonde hair and green looking eyes. He wore a brown looking outfit and old worn out boots; there was something about his smile that left Henry unsettled.

"Wait a minute…this is a joke, right? There's no way that the head of the home office is Peter Pan; you're just a boy" Greg said.

"It can't be; Peter Pan is supposed to be one of the good guys" Tamara murmured.

"Oh Greg, Greg, Greg, Greg; did you _really_ think there was a group of people out there who wanted to destroy magic?" Pan laughed.

"But, you sent others to destroy magic," Tamara said shaking her head.

"They weren't destroying magic because they hated it; they were destroying it because what they were looking for wasn't there. Magic can't be destroyed, it's been here since the beginning of time," Pan said

"No, that's not possible; magic is evil, it's vile!" Greg shouted angrily

"Magic is what makes the world go round Greg; it cannot be destroyed," Pan said

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that," Greg said as he made a move towards Pan.

Pan was smarter than that; he froze Greg almost instantly. He slowly circled the man, letting out a low chuckle.

"Do you know why I picked you Greg?" Pan asked.

Greg, who was still frozen, could only shake his head no.

"I chose you, because you were dumb enough to believe that magic was an evil thing. I'd only hoped you wouldn't be stupid enough to turn on me," Pan said.

Without blinking, he shoved his hand into Greg's chest, ripping out his heart. Henry and Tamara's eyes widened at the sight of Pan holding Greg's still beating heart in his hands. The magic that held Greg in place disappeared and he fell to the floor in agony. Pan stood over Greg with a vicious smile on his face as he squeezed his heart into ash.

"No!" Tamara cried out

"I hope this taught you a lesson Tamara; _never_ betray me, because if you do, you'll meet a fate _far worse_ than Greg," Pan said.

Tamara tearfully nodded as she looked over at Greg's lifeless body.

"Get rid of him," Pan said as one of the hooded figures quickly picked up Greg's body and tossed it into a nearby fire.

"Why are you doing this? Why'd you have them take me?" Henry asked

"Because you're a very special boy Henry; you come from quite an impressive lineage. You're the son of the evil queen and the savior. You're the grandson of Snow White, Prince Charming and the Dark One. You're exactly what I'm looking for; you see, many, many years ago I came to this island with my younger brother. Our parents died when we were lads and I was forced to raise him. We came to Neverland because it was a place where children never had to grow up. Unfortunately, I was too old to be here; the only way I could stay was by using an old spell. Sadly, the spell backfired and turned the island into what it is now. There is one way to break the spell…" Pan said

"What's that?"

"I need a heart, the heart of the truest believer and you Henry Mills are the owner of that special heart." Pan said

"And if I give you my heart…" Henry began

"If you give me your heart then you'll be saving not only me, but the magic of this island. Think about it, wouldn't you like to be a hero for once?" Pan suggested

Henry paused for a moment; he'd always wanted to be a hero. It was tiring, standing on the side lines watching as the others get praised for their heroics. He was a smart kid; he'd managed to get from Storybrooke to Boston on his own. He'd also defeated the Evil Queen's curse. He was the one who made Emma believe in magic; however there was something about Pan that made Henry uneasy.

"But if I give you my heart, what'll happen to me?" Henry asked

"Well you'll die of course, but you'll die a hero. You've read plenty of Storybooks; sometimes the heroes don't always survive the end of the story Henry"

Henry thought long and hard about what Pan was saying; he'd definitely read a few stories where the good guys didn't always make it to the end. Living in Storybrooke had definitely taught him that much. Still, he was only 11 and he wasn't ready to die, not just yet. Plus, there was his family to think about, his mom Regina especially. What would happen to her if he died? How would the rest of his family treat her? Would they blame her for what happened? After all she did kill Greg's father all those years ago. There was also the fact that many people still saw her as The Evil Queen. Would the people of Storybrooke let her live if Henry was dead?

"There has to be another way for us to break the curse, one that doesn't involve me dying," Henry said.

"I'm sorry lad but, there isn't another way," Pan said sadly

"My moms are coming to get me, maybe they can find another way," Henry said as Pan tilted his head curiously to look at Henry.

"Your mothers are coming, both of them?" Pan asked

"Yeah, I know they are," Henry said with much confidence

"You know Henry, you might be on to something there; with both of your mothers being powerful practitioners of magic, maybe they will be able to help me out." Pan said before ordering one of his boys to set up a special tent for Henry and Tamara.

Once he was sure that Henry and Tamara were settled into their tent, Pan quietly gathered his lost boys around the camp fire.

"Listen up boys, it's been brought to my attention that the savior and the Evil Queen are supposedly on their way here. I want the mermaids on the lookout for anything suspicious on the waters. I want someone keeping an eye out for any strange activity you find on land. If you find them, bring only the queen to me; the savior? Well, you boys are more than welcome to have a little fun with her," Pan said as his lost boys grinned at one another.

"What do we do about Balefire?" Felix, Pan's right hand man asked

"Take him to the echo caves and leave him there," Pan commanded

"And the boy the shadow brought back with it?" Felix asked once more

"Ah, little Roland; where is he now?"

"Locked away for safe keeping," Felix said, though Pan saw the glint in his eyes

"Felix, what have you done with our newest Lost Boy?" Pan asked, a warning clearly in his tone

"I may have ordered some of the boys take him Crocodile Creek to have a little fun with him," Felix said with a smirk.

"No, you bring him here to me right now; I want not one scratch on his head," Pan ordered

"What's the deal Pan? Normally you let us torture the new kids a bit," Felix huffed

"That was before we had Henry here on the island; I need to keep up a good impression. If I want to win Henry's trust I need to show him that we don't hurt our new Lost Boys, got it?"

Felix merely nodded before ordering some of the other Lost Boys to take Neal to the Echo caves before he headed down to Crocodile Creek to retrieve young Roland. Little did they know that Tamara had just overheard everything that they said.

Neverland-Present

"Can I ask you something?" Robin said to Regina

"What is it?"

"Exactly what kind of happiness did you run away from?" Regina stopped in her tracks, taking a moment to sit down on a nearby fallen log.

"Sometime after I married the king, I met Tinkerbell. She was just as annoying then as she is now with her talk of happy endings and second chances," Regina said as Robin chuckled.

"Seems like you've always been a bit of a pessimist," Robin said as Regina rolled her eyes, a playful smirk crossing her features.

"Not always; I believed in love once," Regina said wistfully before continuing.

"I met Tink and she was so sure that all I needed was to find love again. She sole some pixie dust from the Blue Fairy and took me to this tavern where she said my happy ending was," Robin leaned against a tree, watching Regina intently.

"I'm guessing you never went in or something stopped you from going into the tavern," Robin said, tilting his head to the side as Regina gave him a sad smile.

"I was too afraid to go in and meet him; I knew who he was because he was glowing with pixie dust. I wasn't sure who I'd be if I let go of all of the anger I'd been holding inside of me. My mother had always taught me that love is weakness and I didn't wanna be weak. I had been weak when I fell in love with Daniel and I had been too weak to stop my mother from killing him," Regina said quietly, doing her best to reign in her emotions.

"Do you think about it often, what would've happened if you'd gone into the tavern and met him?" Robin asked, genuinely curious about the woman sitting in front of him.

"I think about it every single day, but then I put that thought in the back of my mind because I don't know if I could imagine a life without Henry in it," Regina said with a smile.

"He's truly the one good thing in your life," Robin stated

"He is, and when I get him back, I'm never letting him go again," Regina said as she stood, ready to head back towards the camp.

"You know, I've been there, closing my heart off to love," Robin called out to Regina.

"After my wife died I was a mess; I wasn't sure how I was going to survive without her, let alone this, tiny little child who looked exactly like her. I had closed myself off to love as well; if I'm honest I'm still quite closed off to it but, I'm slowly learning that my heart could possibly love someone other than my son and my Merry Men," Robin said, causing Regina to give him the tiniest of smiles.

"Maybe I'll get there someday," she said softly before walking away.

"Yes, perhaps maybe someday you will," Robin said quietly as he followed her.

Neverland-9 Days Ago

Roland had never been more scared in his life than he was in this moment. He didn't know where his father was, he had been taken by a strange looking shadow and was now dangling over a lake where two large alligators were ready to devour him. His breathing was shallow as he cried desperately for his father. The bigger boys who'd brought him here were laughing at him, mocking the way he screamed bloody murder. Then there were the gators that seemed to move closer to him each time the thin rope he was hanging on to sailed into the air. He was sure he would die like this, being eaten by the gators in the water, never to see his papa again. Maybe he'd meet his mama up in heaven? Yes, that was what little Roland Locksley prayed for.

"Alright let him go, fun's over," someone shouted to Roland's relief.

"C'mon Felix, we were just-"

"Show's over Eli, Pan said no harm can come to the boy," Felix said.

Almost instantly, Roland was pulled away from the gator's grasp and settled onto dry land. The boys that brought him here glared at him as a taller boy, Felix he presumed, grabbed him by the collar.

"Alright you, let's go; you're safe from the gator's, today," Felix said as he dragged Roland away from the other boys and through the forest.

oOoOo

Camp was unusually quiet when Regina and Robin got back; the fire had all but burned out. There was very little movement amongst the others besides Tinkerbell and Rumpelstiltskin. She exchanged silent words with Tinkerbell who noticed the close proximity between she and Robin. That stupid fairy still hadn't learned to mind her own damn business, even after meddling the first time had cost her her wings. Regina sighed heavily as she reached the small tent that belonged to her.

"Thank you, Robin, for coming to rescue me from Tink," Regina said quietly as Robin stared into her eyes.

"There's no need to thank me Regina, you do these kinds of things for a friend…and I meant what I said before, I do hope that you find your happiness," Robin said, reaching out to take her hand into his own, pressing a light kiss to her knuckles.

"Goodnight, your majesty," Robin said with a smirk before moving across the forest floor to where he had set up his own little pallet.

Regina sighed heavily, watching Robin as he curled up in a ball and fell asleep almost immediately. It seemed as if she would be the only one whom sleep would evade, aside from Rumple of course; you don't need to sleep when you're the Dark One. She carefully made her way into her tent, removing her jacket and blouse so that she was down to her leggings and black tank top. She hated this forest for a number of reasons, one of which was that sleeping on the forest floor was less than comfortable. Also, what she wouldn't give to be back home in Storybrooke tucking her son into bed. After removing her boots, Regina crawled onto the pallet she'd made for herself and closed her eyes. It would take a while but when sleep overcame her, and she would soon wish that it hadn't.

* _Dream Sequence as told from Neverland Regina's out of body experience*_

 _She's back in The Enchanted Forest, not as the Evil Queen but as_ _ **the**_ _queen, Leopold's wife, Snow's stepmother. She's certain of this because she's back in her old room in the castle; she'd know that horrible canopy bed from anywhere. However this is different, because she's seeing things through her younger self's eyes. She watches her younger self pace back and forth across her old bedchambers, her heels clicking ferociously. She remembers this moment for many reasons and none of them are terribly pleasant. Today, she will receive a special visitor; Leopold has hired someone to help prepare her body for sex with him._

 _She's nearly 20 by now; Daniel has been dead for nearly 2 years at this point. She'd just had a headstone made for him. He's buried out on firefly hill under a headstone that's marked by a single heart. It made sense to mark his grave this way because when he died, a piece of her heart died with him. The other half died when that insipid Snow confessed that she'd told mother about Daniel. Regina takes in a deep breath to try and calm her anger. The door to her bedchamber swings open and behind Johanna walks a petite woman with thick curly hair. Her outfit leaves little to the imagination, not that Regina is surprised by this; concubines aren't exactly known for being wholesome women._

" _Leave us," Regina commands; Johanna gives her a subtle nod before closing the doors behind her._

" _Leopold told me that you were a very pretty girl," the woman has a thick accent, a heavy rolling of the r's when she speaks is a clear indicator._

" _The fairest in the land," Regina mutters with a smile as the woman chuckles_

" _Now I was told that that title was reserved for the king's beautiful daughter Snow White," Regina does all she can not to scream or snap the woman's neck in half. Of course Snow White would even take the title of being most beautiful from her…the little brat._

" _The king tells me you're still young yes?" The woman is staring at her before sauntering over to Regina's nightstand, placing a small box on top of it._

" _I'll be 20 in a couple of weeks," Regina responds quietly_

" _Hm…that's pretty old to not have any children, no?" Regina sighs_

" _My mother wanted me to marry a king," Regina says, doing her best to suppress an eyeroll._

" _Hm. And you had no other lovers besides the king?" The woman asks; is she stupid? Mother 'tested' her almost daily to ensure that she remain pure for only the king._

" _No, none"_

" _No boyfriends, no potential suitors?" The woman is rummaging through her things in search of something; she aha's once she finds whatever she's looking for._

" _I loved someone once, but he's dead now," Regina admits, her heart (or what's left of it) shattering into a million pieces as her mind replays the day of Daniel's death in the stables._

" _So your marriage to the king is an arranged one then?" The woman is holding a vile in her hands, studying it intently._

" _You could say that," Regina murmurs_

" _You know, it is by law that as the king's wife you give him at least one heir to the throne," The woman tells her_

" _He already has one, Snow," The woman tisks, shaking her head._

" _No, no darling; Snow White only gets the throne if no male heir ever comes into existence. But you, you're young, you are very capable of making babies for the king…you just have to try, that's all," Regina is more than fed up with this woman and lets her have it._

" _You don't think I'm trying?! He's come into my bedroom every night since we were married and-"_

" _No, no, no darling; the king is doing his part. You? You not do your part; your job is to enjoy sex with the king. It takes more than the king releasing inside you for you two have a baby. Tell me something your majesty; you ever relieve yourself when you're with the king?" Regina tilts her head; what the hell is this woman talking about? Relieve herself? This isn't making any sense. Apparently the woman can sense that she doesn't get it._

" _Here, all you need to do is take this; drink it just before the king comes to bed you and poof! Soon enough you two will have royal baby on your hands," The woman says with a smile._

" _So I just drink this and I get pregnant?" Regina asks as the woman nods._

" _You drink that and all of your problems will be over…unless the king wants more children of course," The woman says waggling her eyebrows; she returns to her little box, closing the lid on it before turning to face Regina once more._

" _So that's it? You just, give me the potion and-"_

" _No, no, no; we not done here. I still have to help you loosen your body up for when the king beds you tonight. Come now, I run you a nice bath, give you massage…" The woman leaves the sentence open before taking Regina by the hand and pulling her into the bathroom._

 _It doesn't work; the woman is quite gifted at what she does (her hands and her mouth are perhaps Regina's favorite thing about her), but when it's time for Leopold to bed her that night, she still can't orgasm. Leopold brings in another specialist who is less gentle than the woman was with her. His name is Wilfred, from the Northern Kingdom, a well known practitioner of magic. He is not patient, nor is he kind to Regina during his session with her. He forces her on her knees, uses bondage to help her 'submit' to Leopold, because apparently, she's not submissive enough and that's why she can't get pregnant. It pains Regina to see herself go through these things, makes her wonder why she's even dreaming about this in the first place…_

 _The dream only gets worse when her mind flashes forward a bit; she's 22 by now and has just experienced her fourth miscarriage. She'd known it the moment she felt the sharp pains in her stomach; she wasn't quite full term, but far enough to start showing. When Johanna comes in to draw her a bath, Regina is silent, her back facing Johanna._

" _Your majesty…"_

" _Go away Johanna," Her voice is slightly muffled by a pillow as Johanna tries again_

" _Your majesty…"_

" _I said go away!" Regina is shouting at her now, turning over to face the older woman; what she doesn't count on is the duvet falling down just far enough so that Johanna can see the blood covering her nightgown._

" _Oh, your majesty," There is pure sympathy in her voice as she carefully makes her way over to the bed._

" _It happened again," Regina's voice is wavering; she hates this life that she's been forced into, hates it with a passion. She cannot say that she feels any sorrow for the children lost. She would much rather them not live than to force them into a life where they are only conceived to be show pieces for their father, to live in the shadows of their revolting half-sister and her long dead mother, to be treated as second best by the people of this kingdom. Most of all, she'd rather spare these children than for them to be stuck with a mother who doesn't love them nor want them._

" _I'll get the doctor and I'll have someone draw you a bath and fetch you clean clothes and bedding," Johanna says as Regina reaches out to grab her arm._

" _Can we, can we not tell Leopold about this, please?"There is vulnerability in her eyes when she says this and Johanna wishes that she could keep this from the king but, it is her job to tell him. She could very well lose her life for keeping such a thing from him._

" _I wish I could my lady but-"_

" _Leave," Regina's words are harsh, cold and Johanna replies with a sigh, getting up from the bed and giving out the orders._

 _Three days go by before Leopold is commanding her presence in his bedchambers._

" _You wanted to see me Leopold?" Regina's voice is always soft whenever she speaks to him, she has to be soft or else he'd be able to hear the disdain she holds for him in her voice._

" _Undress yourself," Leopold commands; he's drunk, the son of a bitch. He's drunk off his ass and is commanding that she undress so he can fuck her. She's smelled the stench of alcohol when she entered his bedroom, but she wasn't expecting this._

" _But Leopold-"Somehow he manages to stand up and quite quickly; before she knows it, his hand is stretching out across her face. He is rough in his handling of her, grabbing her by the back of the head._

" _I know that you find pleasure when you are with the others, but not with me. Why is that so Regina?" his breath is hot in her ear when he asks this question; so he's heard that she gets off when he sends the others to fuck her but she can't when she's with him._

" _Tell me why Regina? Why can't you find pleasure when you're with me? Am I not good to you? Do you not have everything you could ever want from me?" Leopold asks._

 _However, instead of the response she gave him that night, something in Regina's face shifts and she sees it: the Evil Queen is written all over her face._

" _Because I don't love you, you fat fuck," Instantly, Regina is hovering over Leopold, plunging her hand into his chest and ripping out his heart. She stares at it victoriously for a few moments, watching as his eyes widen in fear, his face going white as a piece of paper._

" _I never loved you and you, you never loved me. I was simply a play thing for you, a babysitter for that spoiled little brat of yours and…" Her tirade to Leopold is interrupted when a young Snow bursts into the room, her eyes wide with terror._

" _Father! What have you done to him!?" Snow is running towards Regina, or rather The Evil Queen who drops Leopold's heart and begins staring at Snow like a predator stares at its prey. This is not what Regina remembers happening that night; this is some sort of nightmare._

" _I've been waiting to do this for years now; you took the one thing that mattered to me, and now I'm gonna take your life for it," The Evil Queen snarls. Young Snow looks absolutely terrified and makes a run for the door, but the queen is smarter than that. She uses her magic to pull Snow closer to her._

" _Please Regina I'm sorry, don't hurt me please; I didn't mean to kill Daniel!" And suddenly, young Snow morphs into older Snow and their surroundings change. They're back in Storybrooke and Snow isn't Snow but Mary Margret and Regina is the mayor; Snow has been framed for Kathryn's murder._

" _Oh, but I know you didn't…but somebody has to die for what happened to Daniel," While there is sadness in her voice, The Evil Queen wears a look of menacing victory. Her hand wraps around Snow's neck and squeezes; a tiny gasp escapes Snow's lips. Regina sees herself squeezing, squeezing, squeezing until there is barely any life left in Snow's body._

" _Regina…" There is no need for her to turn around; she already knows who stands behind her._

" _Daniel" and this time, she can do something instead of stand there and watch this strange dream unfold. She reaches out to touch his face and yes, he is real, Daniel is here with her in this dream._

" _Regina, you've changed," Daniel says sadly and for the millionth time, her heart breaks._

" _Daniel no, you don't understand…" Regina tells him, though he shakes his head once more._

" _Look at what you've done Regina," Daniel says and when she turns around, Snow White is on the ground, dead as the Evil Queen laughs in triumph._

" _You're not the girl I fell in love with; take a look at yourself Regina," Daniel says and when she looks down, she is covered in blood; she is dressed up as The Evil Queen now. How can this be when she's stood by watching everything unfold from the sidelines?_

" _Daniel, I don't understand…" Regina is frantic now, shaking her head vigorously._

" _You changed Regina, you forgot about me and what I stood for; I never would have wanted you to be like this, to become this person," Daniel tells her and it pains her for Daniel to look at her with contempt and disappointment in his eyes._

" _Daniel I'm sorry!" The stable boy shakes his head slowly._

" _I can't forgive this Regina; I'm sorry but I can't," Daniel tells her before disappearing._

" _Daniel! Daniel I'm sorry, please come back!" Regina cries, sinking to the ground. She is now next to Snow's lifeless body; how could she have done something like this?_

 _What the hell kind of dream is she having, and why can't she wake up? She would never do something like that to Snow, at least not now. She carefully moves closer to Snow's dead body, hoping to cradle the girl in her arms and beg for forgiveness. Just as she's about to whisper her apologies, Snow's eyes pop open, startling her completely._

" _Sorry isn't good enough Regina, look at what you've done," Zombie Snow tells her as the scene around them shifts. They are in Neverland once more, but what she sees terrifies her. There are bodies scattered all over the ground, bodies of Lost Boys, Pan's body; all of their hearts have been ripped out._

" _Oh but that's not all Regina," Zombie Snow says moving aside so that Regina can see the real damage. Lying in the middle of the camp is Henry's lifeless body; her precious little Prince is dead. Henry's eyes are open, a look of shock the last thing the boy will ever see. Sadly, his heart has been ripped out as well._

" _It gets better, look next to him," Zombie Snow whispers eerily_

 _Lying next to Henry is a small child, no more than 5 years old, a mop of brown curls on his head and a hole where his heart should be. Regina is on the ground wailing in pain, she'd killed her son and another innocent child as well. Zombie Snow lets out a laugh that is eerily similar to Rumpelstiltskin's. This isn't right, none of this has happened, so why in the hell can't she wake up, because this is clearly a very bad dream._

" _You killed him, you killed my son!" Regina's head snaps up immediately when she hears his voice._

" _How could you?! I believed in you, I thought…I thought that what we had was special," Robin's eyes are gleaming with tears as he kneels down in front of her. Why would he think what they had was special?_

" _I thought you were good, I thought that this, that it meant something," Robin whispers, rolling up his sleeve to reveal his Lion Tattoo._

 _Oh God, this is a horrible bad dream and she needs for it to stop, immediately. Why in the hell can't she wake up?_

" _Robin, Robin I'm sorry, I didn't do this I didn't-"Regina is pleading with him but her words are cut off by a sword to the throat by none other than Emma Swan, who's staring at her with pure hatred in her eyes._

" _I told them not to trust you; I tried to warn Henry not to trust you, that you were evil. Don't you see Regina? Nothing you do is good," Emma says, reaching down into Regina's chest and pulling out her heart._

" _Do you see that lump of darkness, that's your heart and it was never good to start with. You may think that evil isn't born but you, you come from the most vile place of evil there ever was. You are not good, you never were good and you will never be good! No matter how hard you try, no one will ever love you because love is weakness dear. It's a lesson I've been trying to teach you your whole life," Somehow Emma has morphed into mother and God, where the hell did she come from? She's supposed to be dead, Snow killed her. Why oh why isn't' she waking u?. From the corner of her eye she can see Zombie Snow laughing a maniacal laugh before she transforms into The Dark One._

" _I told ya dearie, the darkness likes how you taste," Rumple laughs impishly._

" _No! I didn't do this, I didn't mean to I-"Regina's words are cut off by a squeeze to the heart from mother, who is apparently Emma again._

" _You will never be good Regina, look at what you've done. You ruined my parents' lives because my mother couldn't keep a secret. You cast a curse that destroyed our land because you were angry that your boyfriend died. You forced my parents to give me up; I spent my entire life in the foster system because of you. I didn't get to raise my son and now he's dead…and it's all your fault," Emma says as the others-Robin, Zombie Snow, Daniel, Mother, Rumple, Charming, Hook, Leopold, Tinkerbell and the countless faces of those she's killed or done wrong begin to close in on her._

" _Please, please I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Regina whimpers as she does her best to cower away from everyone._

" _Sorry doesn't cut it Regina, not for what you've done. You can never be punished enough for what you've done," And the one voice she dreaded to hear turn against her is standing directly in front of her. Somehow Henry has become a zombie as well._

" _Would you like to do the honors Henry? After all you were the one to realize that she was nothing more than The Evil Queen," Emma says to her son who smiles back at her._

" _I'd be more than happy to rid the world of The Evil Queen. It was always my job to kill her anyways and bring back the happy endings," Henry says and Regina is sure that her heart is already dead with the cold manner in which Henry speaks about her._

" _Henry, Henry please don't!" Henry doesn't listen; he drops Regina's heart onto the ground and steps on it._

" _This is for my family!" Henry shouts as Regina doubles over in pain._

" _This one is for me!" Henry yells, using his shoe to further smash her heart into the ground, causing Regina to let out an agonizing cry. Her heart feels as though it's about to burst, she can feel the pain radiating throughout her entire body._

" _And this, this is for ruining our happy endings!" Henry yells one last time before smashing her heart one final time._

 _Regina feels the world spinning above her, breath and all other forms of life leaving her body. She can vaguely hear cheers and applause around her, shouts of victory. She can see the sky, the beautiful white clouds above her. Though she knows that's not where she's going; a hooded figure stands over her as dark clouds encase the sky. Thunder crashes, lightening toils and the hooded figure stoops down over her, lowering its hood. She's shocked to find another version of herself-The Evil Queen to be exact-staring back at her, letting out a menacing laugh._

" _Villains don't get happy endings dear, but what we do get, is death and lots of misery," The Evil Queen says before driving a sword through her chest._

 _*End Dream Sequence*_

When she wakes up, there's an ear piercing sound that fills her ears. Someone is screaming, wait, is that her? Is she screaming? Someone is touching her; someone is calling her name, gently shaking her. What the hell is going on?

"Regina, Regina, wake up!" Her eyes fly open at the sound of Robin's voice. She bolts upright, nearly misses hitting him in the nose. She finds herself drenched in sweat, her heart beating rapidly, and several pairs of eyes staring back at her.

"What's going on?" Regina croaked.

"You woke up half of Neverland with your screams love," Hook said as he casually stood near a tree.

"Regina, are you alright?" Snow asked, taken aback when Regina cowered away from her.

"It's alright Regina, we're not gonna hurt you" Snow said in a soothing voice.

"It's Pan, he's started attacking her through her dreams," Tinkerbell quietly explained.

"The fairy is right; Pan knows that Regina is strong, so he's working on her fears, doing all that he can to get inside her head," Rumple said.

"Well he's doing one hell of a job, look at her! She's a mess!" Emma said as everyone glanced over at Regina, who was doing all that she could not to run away from them.

"We need to find Henry fast, because I'm not sure how much longer the queen can handle Pan's mind games," Hook said.

"Agreed; getting to Pan's hideout requires going through the Maze of Regrets, but Regina's not ready for that," Tink said

"The Maze of Regrets?" Charming asked

"Aye mate; the Maze of Regrets is basically a forest that forces you to come face to face with your biggest regrets. The maze isn't just dangerous to Regina, it's dangerous to all of us," Hook said.

Robin however, stood watching Regina; she was a mess as she sat on her pallet shaking. Whatever she'd dreamed about had to have been quite awful if she were reduced to a state such as this. He carefully moved towards her, cautious in his movements, not wanting to scare her anymore than she already was. It pained Robin to see this bold and audacious woman in this manner. She'd become like a friend to him over during their journey on this island and Robin had never been able to resist helping a (beautiful) friend in need.

"Regina?" Robin said softly as the queen carefully looked up at him.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I promise," Robin said as Regina backed away from him.

"Regina, it's alright. No one here wants to hurt you," Robin said as Regina shook her head, still backing away.

"Regina, Regina, look at me," Robin said softly as he carefully moving towards her.

"Regina…" Robin said, reaching out to gently touch her hand. Robin's heart broke when Regina backed away from him.

"Please, don't," Regina whispered, still shaking her head.

Robin sighed heavily; he hated seeing Regina in such a state as this. Robin stood and backed away from Regina.

"Whatever Pan caused to happen to her in that dream had to be terrible," Robin said.

"We don't have time for this, we need to find Henry!" Emma said.

"I don't think you understand how serious this is Miss Swan. Pan needs Regina, and right now he's doing everything he can to break her resolve. If he breaks her down enough, there's a very real possibility that none of us will get off of this island alive, your son in particular," Rumple explained.

Emma let out a frustrated sigh; this wasn't how she'd envisioned this rescue mission going. She thought they would come to Neverland, fight off Peter Pan and the Lost Boys, get Henry and go home. She wasn't expecting any of this; she wasn't expecting this rescue mission to involve rescuing not only Henry, but Regina as well.

"Well she doesn't seem to be up for sharing any details about what happened in that dream so…" Emma said.

"Is there any way we could maybe see what's going on in her head, figure out what she dreamed about?" Charming asked.

"No. Regina's a very guarded person, she'll have probably used enchantments to keep people out of her head," Rumple said.

"But I was able to see what she was dealing with in the cannery with Greg and Tamara," Snow said.

"You saw what happened to Regina through her eyes, not through her mind." Rumple said.

"So we just have to wait for her to talk, great. Knowing Regina that'll be never," Emma grumbled.

"You know it's very rare that I side with the crocodile on anything but he's got a point. You don't know how this island works Emma. You don't know anything about Pan; to you he's just some child's story. He's bigger than that Swan; he's the meanest nastiest villain you'll probably ever come across. I also know a thing or two about the Queen, and she's quite the stubborn one that woman. She's also very guarded, if she's going to talk, it'll be on her own terms," Hook said as Rumple stared at Emma long and hard.

"Do you remember what I said to you on the boat when we first landed in Neverland Emma? I told you that you only believe what's shown to you. You don't believe in any of this, not magic, not Pan, not even yourself," Rumple said as Emma rolled her eyes.

"I told you before I-"

"Slayed a dragon, yes we know and what a great tale it was. The daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming defeating the Evil Queen's curse…but look at how long it took you to believe. It's a good thing you started to believe when you did, otherwise Henry would be dead," Rumple said with a smirk.

Before she knew it, Emma's hands were glowing with magic as she sent Rumpelstiltskin flying across the forest floor.

"Emma!" Snow cried out as the blonde stood where she was looking down at her shaking hands.

Rumple however, got up with ease and gave the savior a smirk.

"You're gonna need that fire power if we're gonna defeat Pan and get your son back," The imp said before walking towards Regina.

oOoOo

Tamara couldn't believe her ears; Neal was alive and on the island. How was it even possible? She'd shot him and watched him fall through a portal; there was no way he was supposed to have survived that attack. Tamara shook her head; she was in way over her head now. Maybe she had been wrong all along about magic? Maybe it wasn't so bad after all? But then she thought about Greg and how Peter Pan had reached into his chest and ripped out his heart and crushed it without so much as a blink of an eye. She thought about Regina and how she'd mercilessly killed Greg's father and left his body out in the middle of the woods to rot for almost 30 years. Tamara's eyes hardened as she thought about what she had to do; she had to destroy magic, because it had a way of ruining everything.

Henry found the inside of the camp to be, interesting. The Lost Boys seemed to be okay, they were laughing and playing and looked genuinely happy. His thoughts soon drifted back to Pan, who terrified him the most. Why did he want Henry's heart? Who was he before he became Peter Pan? What happened to his younger brother? Henry shook his head; thinking about all of this made his head hurt. The person he thought about most however was his mom. He knew that she was probably worried out of her mind about him and whether or not he was okay. He also thought about how she had tried to save them all. Henry's eyes filled with tears when he thought about how she was willing to die to save everyone in Storybrooke. He also thought back to before the curse broke and how cruel he was to her. Henry sighed heavily; he should've tried harder to talk to her, to figure out why she became the Evil Queen. It was only when he stopped and actually read her story that he realized why she had done the things she did. Henry's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone entering the tent where he and Tamara were.

"Hello Henry, Tamara," Felix said with a smile behind him stood a small boy with expressive brown eyes and curly dark hair.

"This is Roland, he's new to the island; Pan thought you two might get along," Felix said as he shoved the young boy towards Henry before leaving the tent.

Roland looked around the tent with wide eyes; he didn't know where he was or who these strange people were. All he wanted to do was go home, or at least find his papa. The bigger boy, Henry looked at him with a kind smile.

"Hey, I'm Henry," he said as Roland bit his lip and looked down at the ground.

"Are you hurt sweetheart?" Tamara asked as Henry looked up at her.

"Why would he be hurt?" Henry asked.

"Henry, Roland is a Lost Boy; don't you know what that means?" Tamara asked before turning her attention towards Roland.

"Did they hurt you Roland?"

"I want my papa," The little boy whimpered.

"Where's your papa?" Tamara asked.

"He's here; he came with somebody named, Neal," Roland said as both Henry and Tamara's eyes widened.

oOoOo

Rumple sighed heavily as he watched his protégée; he hated what she was going through. He also felt a tiny bit of guilt for being responsible for who she had become. His guilt soon washed away when he thought about what she had done for him, as well as a long forgotten secret about Regina. He needed to help her, he owed her that much; after all she did raise his grandson for 11 years. Rumple carefully walked towards her as she stood near a small stream washing her face.

"I was wondering when you were gonna come talk to me," Regina said quietly, taking Rumple by surprise.

"I wasn't expecting you to be willing to talk," Rumple replied.

"To them? No; but you…you know what's going on with me, don't you?" Regina said as the imp nodded.

"Indeed I do; Pan's working overtime to break your resolve. He needs you like this, skittish, fearful, cagey. I've also seen where he's been trying to work on Miss Swan as well; he needs the two of you to be at odds," Rumple said as Regina chuckled.

"Pan's not working on Emma, she's just expressing how she truly feels about me," Regina said with a sigh.

"Do you wanna talk about your dream?" Rumple asked gently as Regina stood, turning to face him.

"No, I don't…but I also know if anyone knows what it means, then you're all I've got," Regina said as Rumple leaned against a nearby tree, waiting for her to tell him about the dream.

"Have you ever heard of soulmates Gold?" Regina asked as he nodded his head.

"I have, they're very rare but soulmates do exist…what does that have to do with your dream?" Rumple asked.

Regina took in a shaky breath, glancing over at Robin Hood before responding.

"Do you remember that night when you came to me in the castle? I'd skipped out on about 3 days of magic lessons. You said that the darkness was all I had that and it that it had feasted on me and-"

"That it liked the way you tasted," Gold murmured.

"Right; that same night, I fell off my balcony, but Tinkerbell saved me. I'm the reason she's not a fairy anymore. She stole some pixie dust from Blue and used it to help me find my soulmate; we went to this tavern and he was there. But your words, your stupid, stupid words, they stopped me from going in. She told me I could be happy but…I didn't trust it because all I heard in my head were you and my mother, telling me that love was weakness and that the darkness was all I had," Regina said as she began pacing back and forth. Rumple studied her carefully, slowly trying to put two and two together.

"I'm guessing that this story has something to do with you and Robin Hood?" Rumple asked, folding his arms across his body.

"…Robin is my soulmate; I know it sounds crazy but, even though I didn't go into the tavern that night, I did see the man's tattoo…Robin has the _exact same tattoo_ ," Regina said quietly as Rumple continued to watch her as she took occasional glances over at Robin, who was subtly watching her as well.

"You're stalling," Rumple pointed out

"No I'm not," Regina said, rolling her eyes and folding her arms across her chest.

"Regina, what was your dream about?" Rumple asked as the queen sighed heavily.

"I dreamed about a lot of things," Regina murmured quietly, turning to face the small stream of water. When Rumple didn't say anything else, Regina quietly continued.

"My dream took me to a lot of places I wasn't expecting to go; I dreamed about my early days of being married to Leopold. I dreamed out, all of the babies I lost. I remember after I lost the last baby, how Leopold wanted sex but…something in the dream shifted," Regina said

"What shifted?"

"I saw her, the Evil Queen and, she tried to kill Leopold but Snow, she got in the way…and then, Daniel appeared and, I was the Evil Queen. Daniel said he was disappointed in me and that I had changed. I ended up killing Snow and then…I came here," she whispered as Rumple moved closer to her.

"What happened when you came here?" Rumple asked.

"I'd killed everyone, including Henry," Regina whispered, looking up at Rumple in fear.

"And then what happened?" Rumple asked.

"Henry; he came back to life and, and he ripped out my heart and crushed it; but that's not the worst part. At the end, when I was sure I was gonna die and go to hell, someone stood over me…it was her; The Evil Queen. And do you know what she said to me? She said villains-"

"Don't get happy endings," Rumple said, finishing the sentence with her.

"And then she drove a sword right through my chest," Regina whispered as Rumple grew silent once more.

"Pan's really working on that, your belief that you're a villain and that you don't deserve a happy ending," Rumple said as Regina looked at him strangely.

"But do I? Look at us! I'm the reason we're here; if I hadn't killed Greg's father when he was little-" Regina began.

"It doesn't matter Regina; Pan's wanted Henry for a very long time so it doesn't matter what methods he used to get him here, he was going to get Henry at any cost," Rumple said as Regina looked at him skeptically.

"You seem to know a lot about Pan; what's your history with him? You said before when I found you that the only way Pan could be defeated is if you died. What's really going on Rumple?" Regina asked.

Rumple sighed heavily; he was torn. How did he admit just how he knew Pan and why he wanted Henry?

"Pan is…someone from my past; he and I grew up together. I knew him before he became Peter Pan, but things between us ended badly. I haven't seen him in many years but he vowed to ruin my life," Rumple explained as Regina glanced at him.

"If he's determined to ruin your life, then why am I the one who's having nightmares?" Regina deadpanned.

oOoOo

The Echo Caves were the last place Neal wanted to be. He wanted to find Emma and Henry, not get caught up in one of Pan's plans. His feet had barely touched the ground before he'd been whisked away to Pan's camp. He felt guilty that he'd dragged Robin into this; and his poor little boy! He'd promised Robin that nothing would happen to Roland and now he had been left in the care of Pan. Neal banged his hand against the cage he had been locked in; this was the last thing he wanted or needed. He had to find a way out of the cave somehow; he had to get to Henry and Emma. And he had to find Robin Hood's son and reunite the two, because no one should ever be separated from their family.

Tamara and Henry stood with wide eyes as they listened to young Roland's tale. Apparently Neal wasn't dead; he'd fallen through the portal and directly into the Enchanted Forest. How he managed not to die from his gunshot wound and falling through a portal was beyond Tamara. All she knew was that Neal was still alive and apparently Emma and Regina were on their way to the island if they weren't already here. She needed to get off of this island; she needed to destroy Pan for what he had done to Greg. Magic was a terrible thing that shouldn't exist and it was her job to get rid of it. Tamara glanced at Henry, who was crouched down talking to young Roland; they were cute kids, but she knew that Henry would be a problem, seeing as he believed heavily in magic. Taking Henry and Roland with her would be too much of a risk she thought to herself; would anyone really miss them? Afterall, Storybrooke technically didn't exist on the map; all she had to do was get off of this island and find another way to destroy Storybrooke.

"I'm gonna go get some fresh air, I'll be back," Tamara said to Henry before exiting the tent.

The sky had grown significantly dark; there were no stars in the sky. There was a cool breeze that came through the camp thanks to the close proximity of the water.

"I know what you're up to," Pan said as he moved behind Tamara, who whirled around to face him.

"I-"Tamara began as Pan held up a hand to silence her.

"Don't think I don't know what you've got planned; you still think you need to destroy magic," Pan said with a shake of his head.

"It's evil; look at what you did, look at what Regina did!" Tamara growled.

"You have no idea how magic works; no one wants to be a villain Tamara. We don't just wake up one morning and say 'I think I'll be evil'. Evil isn't born Tamara, it's made and just like people with magic can be evil, so can people without magic. Think about your own self; you've killed people simply because they had magic. There was something in your life that made you hate magic enough to commit murder," Pan said as Tamara stared at him; how did he know what she planned on doing?

"No, I was tricked! You tricked me!" Tamara shouted as Pan laughed at her.

"Did I? I didn't force you and Greg to kill all of those people. I didn't force you to go overseas and kill the dragon. Nor did I force you to trick Neal and go to Storybrooke and try to destroy it. All I did, was play on emotions that were already festering up inside of you," Pan said as Tamara stood glaring at him.

"Henry says Regina and Emma are coming; I've seen what the two of them can do when they work together. You've got your work cut out for you Pan," Tamara said with a smug smirk.

"I just might have my work cut out for me when it comes down to those two, but too bad you won't be around to see the outcome," Pan said. With a snap of his fingers, a large snake appeared in front of Tamara.

"I tried to warn you that if you betrayed me that you'd meet a fate far worse than Greg's, but you didn't listen. I had such high hopes for you Tamara, but you didn't listen; no one ever listens when I tell them that you don't ever try and double cross Peter Pan," Pan said as the snake lunged towards Tamara, wrapping its body around her, cutting off her air supply.

"Oh, I see you've gotten acquainted with Kaa, the anaconda. You see Kaa is from a fairy tale too. Ever hear of the Jungle Book?" Pan taunted as Tamara's eyes grew wide.

"Please…" she croaked out, glancing over at Pan.

"Oh I'm sorry, your pleases seem to have run out. You didn't listen to me Tamara. You thought you could defeat me; you thought you could ruin century's worth of revenge. I can't let you do that; now, you have to die. Kaa, if you please" Pan said to the large snake who nodded as he wrapped himself even tighter around Tamara's frame, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Kaa is going to keep squeezing until he's crushed every major organ in your body, then, he's going to keep squeezing until your rib cage caves in, effectively killing you. Then, well he's been dying for a meal; I think you'll do the trick. Oh, and don't worry, I'll take good care of Henry and Roland and Neal too. Don't cry Tamara, at least you'll be reunited with Greg now!" Pan laughed before walking away, leaving Tamara in Kaa's fate.

oOoOo

Tamara had been gone for a long time Henry thought to himself as he watched little Roland sleep. She seemed really odd when she left, but Henry couldn't focus on that; his dad was alive! His father was alive and on the island; his family was coming to save him, all of them. He glanced back at the small boy sound asleep on the makeshift cot. He wondered just who his father was and how he'd wound up in Neverland. There was no mistake by the way he was dressed that the boy was from the Enchanted Forest. The bigger question was exactly how his father ended up in the Enchanted Forest. Nothing made sense, but one thing was for sure; he had to find his dad and get away from Pan. Henry's thoughts were interrupted when none other than Pan himself casually strolled into his tent.

"Henry, I'm afraid I have a bit of bad news for you," Pan said.

"What is it?"

"It's about Tamara; I'm afraid she's double crossed us both. She found out something that I didn't want her to know and she planned on using it against the both of us," Pan said as Henry stared at him.

"What?" Pan sighed heavily, glancing over at the other little boy in the tent.

"She found out that…your father, he's alive and he's here on the island Henry. Tamara found out and planned on forcing him to show her how to get off of the island. She planned on waiting long enough to see if your mothers were coming and then, she planned on leaving you all here stranded to go back to Storybrooke to finish what she and Greg started." Pan said with a sigh as Henry stared at him, not believing a word of what he'd said.

"What did you do to her?" Henry asked, a frown immediately forming on his face.

"I did what I had to to protect you, me and your family; I killed her," Pan said.

"You're lying, I know you are; Tamara wouldn't do something like that!" Henry argued.

"Wouldn't she? Henry, she shot your father, tried to destroy your entire family, kidnapped you and brought you here. What does that say about her?" Pan asked.

"You wanna rip out my heart, what does that say about you?" Henry asked as Pan sighed heavily.

"Oh Henry, I didn't wanna have to do this but…" Pan said as he waved a hand across the boy's face, effectively knocking him out cold.

"You're making this harder than it has to be Henry" Pan said with a shake of his head.

He carefully placed his hand on Henry's forehead, using his magic to extract memories of his conversation with Tamara about Neal being alive.

"I'm sure you had something to do with them finding out Neal was alive," Pan muttered as he glanced over at the still sleeping Roland.

"I guess I'm going to have to make you forget also," he said as he placed his hand over Roland's forehead, effectively wiping away all of his memories.

"Now listen to me Roland, you were brought here by the shadow a long, long time ago. You don't know who your father is, you never met Neal, you don't have a family," Pan said as he feed Roland new memories of a life where he'd always been a lost boy.

"And as for you Henry, Tamara and Greg kidnapped you and brought you here thinking that if they sacrificed you that it would enough to destroy magic. Just as they were about to kill you, I stepped in and saved you. After I killed Greg and Tamara, I tried all I could to use my magic to get you back home but it wasn't enough. As far as you, you're stuck here with me Henry, and you're never getting away," Pan said before quietly slipping out of the tent.

"I just got word from the mermaids, you'll never guess whose ship just landed in the waters," Felix said with a grin as Pan nodded.

"The mermaids will know what to do; if anyone survives, bring them to me," Pan said as he turned to walk away.

"What about the thief, Robin Hood?" Felix asked.

"Let him walk around in the forest until he dies; even if he does find Roland, his memories are gone and he won't remember him," Pan said.

"And Neal?"

"Let him sit in the echo caves and rot,"

Neverland-Present

Henry has been on the island for well, he's lost count of how long he's been here. Tamara and Greg brought him here thinking that if they sacrificed him that somehow that would be enough for the home office to destroy magic once and for all. Thankfully, he was saved by Peter Pan, who killed Greg and Tamara and took him in. Pan's been working overtime to try and find a way to get him back to his family, but he hasn't found a solution yet. He's slowly losing hope that his moms will ever find him. He thinks about them late at night, especially Regina; he hopes that Emma and his grandparents are doing the right thing and protecting her. The lost boys are pretty cool, though he was shocked to see a kid younger than him being a lost boy. Henry and Roland have become fast friends. Roland's been here for as long as he can remember, he doesn't know either of his parents or how he came to be in Neverland, but he knows that he loves it here and never wishes to go home. Henry has to admit that Neverland is pretty cool, there's no school, no homework, no bedtime. He's learned all sorts of cool things, like how to shoot a bow and arrow and how to swordfight. As the days grow by, Henry's thoughts of his family back in Storybrooke slowly start to dwindle.

Pan has been watching Regina since the moment she arrived on the island. He's done little things to try and shake her, but none of it seems to work. His time is running out; he needs Henry's heart and fast.

"It's time to shake things up a little bit; time to pit the heroes against the villains. Felix, find Henry's coat and scarf and bring them to me. It's time for some real fun," Pan says with an evil grin.

 _Chapter 9 to follow…_

* * *

 **I know this is a long chapter and took FOREVER to update, but I had to tie up all of my loose ends. I'm gonna do my best to try and update on a more frequent basis I promise!**

 **Xx**


	9. Chapter 7

***Trigger warnings for talk of Regina's marriage to King Leopold***

 **Disclaimers** **:**

 **I do NOT own ANY character, ships or storylines; they are all the property of their respectful owners. I only own AU/ Canon Divergence elements such as plot lines, original characters, locations etc.**

 **Some of my writing involves heavy subject matter ( ie drug abuse, abortion, sexual assault, etc) as well as a great deal of strong language and mild to strong sexual content.**

 **I do not in ANY way support ANY heavy subject matter/material I may write about.**

 **Please note that if you continue reading after seeing any disclaimers or trigger warnings, which are placed at the beginning of every chapter, yo7u are from that point reading at your own risk/volition.**

 **Should you continue reading after trigger warnings and disclaimers are posted and decide to express your outrage disgust, discomfort etc with the material in a review please note that a response to your review is at my discretion; see disclaimers 2-4.**

 **Updates on my stories are based on my creative ability and available time to plot, research, outline, write, edit, and post a chapter. Please note that I have a real life outside of writing fanfiction. While I am humbled by the love and support I receive on my fics, my personal life and responsibilities come first.**

 **A copy of these disclaimers can also be found on my profile page.**

* * *

Neverland-Present:

"Henry, why do you wanna go home?" Roland asked as the two boys sat next to one another in a tree.

"I miss my moms," Henry said quietly as Roland looked up at him.

"What's it like?" the younger boy asked as Henry turned to face him.

"What's what like?"

"To have parents?" Roland asked.

Henry couldn't help but smile at him; the poor kid, he was probably brought here when he was just a baby.

"It's pretty cool, at least, most of the time it is," Henry said with a shrug.

"Tell me about Storybook Henry," Roland asked.

He was a cute kid, there was no denying that. He was the kind of kid Henry wished he could have for a younger brother, back when he used to ask his mom about why she didn't have more children after him. That was also when he thought that he was her biological son, before she lied and everything changed. Before he found out the truth about who he really was and his family. Henry felt a strange surge of anger fill his heart when he thought of Regina.

Why did she lie to him? Why did she hate his grandmother so much? Why did she take away everyone's happy endings? Maybe it was because of Cora? Though he'd never formally met her, Henry had heard that she was a bad woman. He wondered what kind of mother she was to Regina. His thoughts of his adoptive mother were quickly pushed aside when he felt a small pair of hands tugging at his shirt.

"Henry, I said, what's Storybook like?" Roland asked.

"It's Storybrooke, not Storybook; it's a pretty cool town. Lots of cool people live there…" Henry began.

oOo

It was easy to get Henry's coat once Pan told him that he was going to try and see if he could find some sort of portal to help him get to his family. All he needed was someone small enough to fit Henry's jacket, and what better person than Pan himself? They were around the same height and build and they both had dark hair. If he stood with his back facing them, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Yes, his plan would definitely work. Pan stood and looked at himself in the mirror and smiled.

It was time to have some real fun.

oOoOo

Regina remained quiet as she and Rumple headed back towards the camp. She instantly grew annoyed at the way everyone stared at her. This was what she hated about being so vulnerable; everyone gave you looks of pity. She could see the way that Emma was looking at her; eyes full of annoyance and anger. Emma had a right to be angry with Regina; look at what she'd done to her! Then there was Snow; she didn't deserve to be treated the way Regina treated her during their days in the Enchanted Forest. And Robin, the poor man had been doomed since the minute Tinkerbell's fairy dust led her to the tavern.

"Regina, are you alright?" Robin asked as he noticed her making her way back into the camp.

"I'm fine Robin," Though her eyes snapped over to Emma Swan when she heard the blonde let out a snort.

"Something you wanna say Miss Swan?" Regina tried her best to appear as her regular snappy self, but Emma didn't seem to be buying it.

"You were just screaming your head off an hour ago and now you expect us to believe you're fine? I don't think so," Emma said as Regina rolled her eyes.

"It's not like you care anyways," Regina shook her head and headed back towards her tent. However, when she felt Snow's hand on her shoulder, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Regina, it's alright, we won't hurt you," Snow said calmly as Regina took several deep breaths.

"I'll be fine Snow, thank you," Emma shook her head again, letting out a huff of frustration.

"This is ridiculous! I just wanna find Henry and get the hell off this island!" Regina took another deep breath before turning her attention to Emma once more.

"And you think I don't?" Regina snapped.

"We know Pan is working on your mind through dreams; if you'd just tell us about the dream you had maybe we could-"

"What fix it? There is no fixing what happened in that dream Miss Swan. What Pan made me go through is…he took me back to some not great times in my life that I'd rather not think about is all," Regina said.

"Great, he took you on a trip down memory lane as the Evil Queen. We'll be here forever if we have to listen to those stories," Emma muttered as Regina's resolve snapped.

"Actually, I dreamed about your grandfather and how he used to rape me every night," Regina snapped as Snow stared at her with wide eyes.

"Don't look so surprised Snow, I'm only 8 years older than you, what did you think was happening between your father and I? Surely you didn't think I willingly married him?" Regina chuckled humorlessly.

"Is that really what you dreamed about Regina, about my father…"

"No, say it Snow: your father, your precious daddy, used to rape his wife while thinking of his dead wife," Regina snarled as silence fell over the group.

"You wanted to know why I was screaming, there you have it. You'd scream too if you had someone twice your size and nearly three times your age forcing themselves on you," Regina looked around at the shocked faces of the group.

"Oh don't look so sad about the fact that it happened every night for 10 years…until I finally killed the bastard," Regina said as she wore a murderous look in her eyes.

"Regina, that's enough," Rumple said quietly.

"No Gold, Emma wanted to know what I was dreaming about well I'll tell her. Which nightmare do you wanna hear about Emma? How about the night I got married? I was 18 then and still a virgin. What a way to lose your virginity! Anything else you wanna know about savior? Like about how your grandfather had prostitutes come in and fuck me in order to get me pregnant? Or how about the 4 miscarriages I had while I was married to him? Or what about how he used to get drunk and force me to come into his bedroom and-"

"Regina, stop," Snow whispered; there were tears streaming down her face as Regina laughed.

"Oh no Snow, Miss Swan is so concerned about what the hell I dreamed about so why not tell her every sordid detail?" Regina said.

"I only wanted to know because we need to find Henry!" Emma shouted.

"Of course you did savior," Regina said as she rolled her eyes.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're not concerned about me," Regina said quietly before heading towards her tent.

"Regina…" Emma said with a sigh.

"No! You don't know what it's like, knowing I'm the reason we're here, knowing that Henry is in with Pan because I was such a horrible person. My dream was…you have no idea what's going on in my head Miss Swan," Regina whispered.

"Regina, I-"Emma began, but stopped as soon as heard movement coming from the bushes nearby.

oOoOo

The rustling in the bushes increased as Emma and Regina shared a look before looking at Rumple who nodded.

"It could be anyone, prepare for attack," The imp said as everyone gathered their weapons.

"Show yourself dearie," Rumple said loudly as a figure appeared near the edge of their camp.

"Henry," Emma and Regina breathed, rushing towards their son. However they were surprised to find Pan standing there in Henry's jacket and scarf.

"Hello Emma, your majesty," Pan said, a smirk written all over his face.

"Where the hell is Henry?" Emma growled, shoving Pan against a tree, her hands wrapped around his neck.

"Henry's fine so is Roland," Pan said giving Robin a grin.

"What've you done to my son?" Robin shouted.

"Nothing…yet; hello Rumple," Pan said as Rumple glared at him.

"Where's Henry?" Regina asked.

"Regina, did you enjoy your dream last night?" Pan asked as Regina's eyes widened with fear and anger.

"You…you bastard!" Regina said as Pan laughed.

"I told you that I wasn't done with you; tell me something Regina, how was it knowing that your dream will soon become a reality?" Pan laughed as Regina lunged at him.

"I will never do that to Henry!" Regina shouted, wrapping her hands around Pan's neck.

"Do you really think these people will want to hear anything you have to say after I start revealing things you've done to them?" Pan whispered.

"I haven't-"

"You killed Graham, you actively tried to seduce David under the curse; need I go on?" Pan said, tilting his head to the side.

"Wait, what?" Emma's eyes snapped towards Regina's at the mention of Graham's name.

"You didn't know, oh this is even better! Tell her Regina, tell her how you crushed Graham's heart because he chose Emma over you?" Pan said, his eyes flittering between the two women.

"You killed Graham because he liked me?" Emma asked as Regina shook her head.

"Emma no I-"

"Then why, Regina!? Why did you kill him!? Graham was an innocent man, a good man!" Emma shouted as she moved towards Regina.

"I killed him because…"

"Because what?" Emma snapped.

"I killed him because he was remembering! You were helping him remember the curse and I couldn't have that happen!" Regina said as Emma shook her head.

"So you killed Graham to protect your curse? Wow." Emma said as she looked at Regina in disgust.

"You don't get to be angry at me for doing what I felt like I had to do at the time!" Regina snapped as Emma whirled to face her.

"You killed Graham because you're a selfish bitch," Emma said as Regina glared at her.

Just as she was about to respond, there was a loud noise that came from around their camp. Before anyone had time to react, there was a group of Lost Boys who charged into the camp, spears and arrows in their hands. The heroes immediately sprang into action, doing all that they could to fight them off. Pan sat in a tree with a look of glee in his eyes as he watched the Lost Boys attack the heroes and destroy their camp.

oOoOo

They didn't have time to react, the Lost Boys were charging in from all angles. Pan had set this up, had used Emma and Regina's little altercation as a means of distraction.

"Be careful of their arrows, they're drenched in dreamshade!" Tinkerbell warned as she punched one of the Lost Boys in the face.

Snow and Robin's arrows were whizzing through the air, while the sound of Charming and Hook's swords could be heard clashing with the Lost Boys. Tinkerbell was surprisingly pretty useful with her punches and kicks and flips as well as disarming them of their weapons. Regina was doing all she could to fight off the Lost Boys, using her magic to send the flying across the forest floor. How could she be so stupid? How could she get so distracted by Pan's tricks that she didn't sense this attack coming? Emma's words stung, and her attitude towards her didn't help much either. Regina was so distracted by her thoughts that she hardly realized that she'd been knocked down by Robin to prevent an arrow dipped in dreamshade from hitting her square in the chest.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he lay half on top of her.

"I'm fine," Regina said as she stood, noticing the fact that most of the Lost Boys had been rendered unconscious by Rumple.

"Tell us where the boys are," Rumple snarled at one of the remaining Lost Boys.

"Go to hell," the boy choked out.

"Oh I've been there and it's anything but pleasant; but I'll be more than happy to send you there," Rumple said before snapping the boy's neck. The boy landed on the ground with a sickening crack of his neck.

"Why did you do that!?" Snow shouted, tears streaming down her face as she looked at the boy's now lifeless body.

"What choice did I have? Or did you not notice the fact that they were trying to kill us?" Rumple snapped as Emma glanced over at Hook; the pirate was propped up on a nearby tree and he didn't look too good.

"Hook!" Emma and the others rushed towards him, though it was Rumple's low whistle that got everyone's attention.

"What's wrong with him?" Snow asked.

"He got hit with dreamshade," Tinkerbell said sadly.

"What can we do to save him?" Emma asked, looking over at Rumple and Tink.

"There's supposedly a item, a sexton that can cure him," Tinkerbell explained.

"Well then let's go get it!" Snow said as Regina stared at her in confusion.

"No," she said as Emma whirled around to face her.

"What the hell do you mean no? Regina, we're not gonna let him die," Emma said.

"How do we find this sexton?" Regina asked Tinkerbell.

"It would take us farther away from Henry, Roland, and Neal," Tinkerbell informed them.

"We don't need to be further away from them, we need to find them!" Robin said.

"But Hook-"

"Oh, and we're supposed to put Hook over Henry? No, I don't think so! How long can he survive without the dreamshade?" Regina asked Rumple and Tinkerbell.

"A week at best, but it's going to be slow and painful I must warn you," Tinkerbell said quietly.

"We are not leaving Hook here to die; he helped us get here," Emma said as Regina rolled her eyes.

"He also stole our magic bean and helped Greg and Tamara try and destroy the town. Or did you somehow manage to forget about the fact that helped them hold me hostage for 2 days while you were busy making googly eyes at him?" Regina snapped as Snow sent her a sharp look.

"Regina, Emma's not interested in Hook," Snow shook her head at her step mother.

"It's fine; even if I were interested in Hook, at least I'd have somebody to love me," Emma muttered as Regina's eyes went wide as saucers.

"What did you just say?" Regina's voice was hoarse as she spoke.

"You heard me, I said at least I have someone; you cast that curse to find your happy ending, tell me Regina's what's that like? Knowing that you worked so hard to destroy my mother's happiness but you're the one who's left alone?" Emma asked a satisfying smirk on her face as Regina sent her flying across the forest floor and into a tree.

"You know nothing about me and what I've lost!" Regina shouted before storming off in the opposite direction.

"Regina, wait!" Robin shouted as he looked at the others.

"We can't just let her run off like that, not when Pan wants her to take Henry's heart!" Robin said, though no one moved.

"Some heroes you all are," Robin said before following Regina into the forest.

oOoOo

"Well Miss Swan, you've managed to screw up yet again," Rumple said, shaking his head slowly.

"How did I mess up?" Emma asked as her parents helped her stand.

"You obviously haven't been paying attention to what I've been telling you for the past week. Pan needs Regina to rip out Henry's heart in order for him to become immortal. We need Regina not to do that, because if she does, none of us will make it off of this island alive, particularly your son,"

"You know that's not what I want Gold," Emma muttered.

"Oh I think it is, otherwise, you'd stop making this about you and do all you can to make sure Regina doesn't kill Henry,"

"I don't know what more you want from me! All I want is to take Henry and get the hell off this island!" Emma shouted.

"The only way any of us are going to get off of this island alive, is to work together," Tinkerbell said.

"And we're supposed to do that with _them?_ We're supposed to trust Regina and Gold to help us out of here alive? You saw what he did to that Lost Boy," Charming said.

"You trust Hook and he's a pirate," Tinkerbell pointed out.

"Hook knows the island, and he helped us get here," Emma argued as Rumple rolled his eyes.

"Please, Hook is just as terrible as Regina and me. He's a villain Miss Swan; he tried to kill Regina, he tried to kill me, he shot Belle…need I go on? And if we're arguing usefulness, Regina and I have been the most useful. I may be a villain, but at least I'm willing to do what has to be done, that's a hell of a lot more than you so called heroes can say." Rumple snarled.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes," Snow said.

"So long as your hands stay clean; that's not how this game works princess. This is Neverland; there is no 'right way' here. The name of the game is survival, and in order to survive that means working with people you don't like and doing things you thought you'd never do. I may not like what Regina did to me, but I'm not willing to let her take her boy's life and have us be killed by Pan as a result." Tinkerbell said before she too headed into the woods in search of Robin and Regina.

"The fairy's right; we need each other in order to get off of this island alive. You all have a choice to make: you can continue holding on to your high moral compasses and die. Or, you can put your feelings aside about Regina and myself and do what needs to be done to save Henry," Rumple said before he too headed in the direction of the others.

oOoOo

The heroes sat stunned; nearly half of their group had deserted them yet again. Could they really defeat Pan on their own? Emma sat next to Hook, muttering reassurances to him that he'd be okay while her parents looked at her with concern.

"Emma, what's going on with you? You've been so…" Snow said as she looked at her daughter.

"So what?" Emma snapped as Charming sighed.

"You've been acting distant with us, with Regina, with everyone since we got here,"

"I'm fine," Emma said, pretending she didn't know what her parents were getting at.

"This is the second time you've insulted Regina like that," Charming pointed out, recalling how Emma accused Regina of trying to kill Henry a few days before.

"I just…this is all crazy! I mean, first my kid I gave away finds me, drags me back to this town called Storybrooke and tells me some convoluted story about Evil Queens and fairy tales and how I'm the savior. Then, I start seeing that maybe he's not lying, but it's still too farfetched for me to believe. Then I start believing, which would mean that my parents put their newborn daughter in a box and sent her on a time travel journey. It means that I'm some…savior when really I'm not. I'm just a bail bonds person from Boston. You all can't expect me to just…be on board with all of this! I need time to adjust, to get used to things! I have a son, a wonderful, amazing kid…but I have to share him with the woman responsible for you guys shipping me off to the real world where I grew up an orphan! I am angry at Regina! She's the reason my life sucked! I get to be mad at her, at you guys, at God or, whoever is responsible for all of this happening! I don't wanna be here; I don't wanna go on another rescue mission! This isn't what I signed up for! I wish…some days I wish I had just, left Storybrooke when Regina first tried to get me to." There, she had confessed it; that was the reason she had been being a bitch to everyone.

"Emma…do you know why you really stayed?" Snow asked her.

"I already told you, I stayed because-"

"You didn't stay for Henry; you stayed for yourself. You stayed because for the first time in a long time, you found hope. You found your family; for the first time in your life you found home. Emma we are not perfect, but no family is. I am Snow White, your father is Prince Charming and you are our daughter, the prophesized savior. No matter how far away you run from it, it's who you are. You were born, destined to lead us; you were destined to bring back the happy endings. Right now, Henry needs you, and what he needs from you is for you to save his mother from doing something reprehensible. I know you don't like Regina, in fact if you hated her I wouldn't blame you, because for a while I did. If I'm being honest with myself, part of me still blames her. What she did was…it was terrible, but Emma she didn't have to be that way. She made those choices out of a place of pain, of anger; she made mistakes. She picked revenge and anger over love, and what kind of hope did she have at the time? You met Cora, that woman was cold and ruthless and…Regina went down a wrong path, but she's tried, she is trying, to be a better person. Sometimes, being a hero means having to look past your pain and doing what has to be done. Rumple's right, as much as we may disagree with how they do things, we need him, and we need Regina. We need them Emma, and they need us. Like it or not, they're our family and family doesn't let each other down. We always, find each other, and right now, we need to find Henry and we need to get off this island…as a family." Snow said.

oOoOo

Regina stormed through the forest in a blind fury. How dare Emma say those things to her! She didn't know what it was like being the Evil Queen! She did love something once, but it was taken away from her by that stupid Snow White. This was never the woman she wanted to become, but she had. Her eyes were filled with tears that were aching to be released, but Regina refused to shed them. She couldn't afford to be seen as any weaker than she had already proven herself to be. She heard a rustling coming from behind her and sighed; someone had been stupid enough to follow her, probably Robin she thought to herself. Sure enough, when she turned around, Robin was running to catch up with her.

"Why are you here Robin?" Regina said with a sigh; she didn't bother slowing down so that he could catch up with her.

"Regina, you can't listen to Emma, she's just being-"

"Right, she's absolutely right; I'm the reason we're here, I'm the reason that, that…I'm the reason Pan has Henry and he wants me to kill him," She slowed to a stop as Robin cautiously came towards her.

"None of what Emma said is true Regina; remember, I've been your closest companion during this trip and I've yet to see the woman she makes mention of. You're not any of those things, because if you were, there's no way I'd continue following you around," Robin said with a lopsided smile.

"Maybe you have a thing for danger," Regina quipped.

"You should smile more often, you're quite breathtaking when you smile," Robin said softly, moving closer to her.

"If you think that flattery is going to make me go back there and-"

"I wish no such thing; in fact, I'd much rather not go back there. I may be considered as a hero, but I'm not so squeaky clean that I can stomach that kind of self righteousness," Robin said as Regina looked at him.

"You say this as if you were once a villain," Robin shook his head slowly, letting out a soft chuckle.

"I've never been a villain but…I have experienced darkness in my life. Not long after Roland was born, I lost my wife and it put me in such a bad place. I thought I had nothing to live for; I spent much of my time trying to exact revenge on those responsible for Marian's death. I was so consumed by my anger and grief that I completely forgot about Roland. In the mist of maintaining my revenge, I allowed my memory of Marian to become tainted and…that hurt. So I understand Regina, I understand more than you know," Robin said as he held her hand, gently rubbing his thumb across the top of her hand.

"You don't know me Robin; we're not the same. You think we are but…we're not," Regina said sadly.

"I may not have been through the exact same thing as you but I do understand you Regina," Robin said moving closer to her, reaching out to touch her cheek.

Regina felt her pulse quicken at how close Robin was standing to her. As loathe as she was to admit it, she felt herself growing close to him. It had nothing to do with the prophesy but rather because of who he was. Robin was a good and kind man who saw something in her besides who she was as the Evil Queen. He was also a parent; he understood what it meant to consider your child as your everything. He was so much like her; lost and floating aimlessly through life until he had his son. She also couldn't deny that he was incredibly handsome, that much was obvious to anyone who looked at him. She could feel the intensity of his gaze as he stared at her, his eyes glancing down at her lips every now and then.

"Regina…" Robin murmured as his fingers found their way into her hair.

Regina breathed a sigh of relief as she allowed Robin to pull her closer to him, pressing her against his chest. He was soft and smelled of forest and the all too familiar scent of home. They stood there, her pressed against him as she finally allowed herself to cry over everything that she'd endured since they stepped foot on Neverland nearly two weeks ago. Robin said nothing; he simply held her in his arms, running his hands through her hair and soothingly up and down her back until he was sure that she was done crying. Regina was the first to pull away, though she still remained in Robin's arms. She felt herself shudder when Robin reached up to wipe away a tear with the pad of his thumb. Regina felt her eyes close as she rested her face against his palm.

"I can't explain what it is but…I haven't felt these types of…feelings for someone in a long time," Robin said as Regina looked up at him through her lashes.

"What, what types of feelings?" She asked as Robin tenderly ran his hand along her cheek.

"Regina, I…I have never met a woman more captivating and strong, as you in all my days," He said as he leaned forward to kiss her.

Regina closed her eyes and leaned forward; however, just as their lips met, there was a rustling in the bushes that caused them to quickly pull apart.

"I…oh, I didn't mean to interrupt," Tinkerbell said as she studied the pair.

"You weren't interrupting anything," Regina muttered as Rumple and Tink exchanged glances.

"Well whatever we may or may not have been interrupting, we need a plan if we're going to save Henry," Rumple said as Regina stared at him.

"You're going to help me? Both of you?" Regina asked as Robin smiled at her.

"When are you going to learn that you're not alone in this Regina?" He asked.

"I just…"

"You're used to going at it alone; well Robin's right, you're not alone," Tinkerbell said, giving the former queen a soft smile.

"What made you change your mind?" Regina asked.

"I listened to what you told Emma; I may not agree with you lying to me, but I do understand that something's work themselves out in the end," she said, glancing over at Robin.

"So how are we going to do this? How are we gonna save Henry?" Regina asked, looking to Gold.

"The only way we can: together," Snow said as she, Charming, Emma, and a wounded Hook emerged from the bushes.

Regina stood there glaring at them, completely unsure of whether or not she could trust them. They had done so much to her, and she to them; this wasn't going to be easy that was for sure.

"Regina, I'm sorry; I just…this is all so much for me to adjust to. I mean, a year and a half ago I was a bailbonds person in Boston living alone in my apartment with no family. Now I'm some sort of princess-savior with a son and parents and magic and fairy tales and I'm sharing my kid with the woman responsible for ripping me away from my parents," Emma said as Regina rolled her eyes, ready to walk away.

"Wait! This is hard for me Regina," Emma said quietly as Regina glared at her.

"And you don't think it's been hard for me Emma? I've known about you since the moment I adopted Henry. I have dreaded you coming back and taking my son and everything I'd worked so hard for the last 11 years. You're not the only one this is hard for Emma," Regina said as Emma looked at her.

"I know; I just wanna find Henry and go home, wherever that is," Emma said as Regina stared at her.

"You're not taking Henry away from me; I don't care what you say but Henry is my son. You may have all of Storybrooke on your side but in the real world, everything you did was against the law. I swear to you Emma if you even think of trying to run away with my son…if you thought I was a bitch when you first met me, I will be a million times worse if you take Henry from me. It may have taken you 28 years to find your family, but you have them. You have your parents, and Neal and even Hook. I don't have anyone but Henry, and he is everything to me and I won't lose him, not again. So if we're going to get Henry back, we're doing this my way and I say we go in there and fight til the death, take no prisoners. If I have to slaughter a million Lost Boys to get my son back then so be it. If you and your parents and your pirate are going to try and tell me that I shouldn't-"

"We're not going to tell you how to save Henry Regina," Snow said as she stepped forward, moving directly into her step mother's space.

"I understand how you feel Regina; when Emma fell through that portal, I was determined not to lose her again, not after being separated from her for 28 years. You may not have given birth to Henry, but you are a mother, and will do whatever it costs to protect those you love. We shouldn't have given you a hard time for doing what we were willing to do when you cast your curse," Snow said as Regina stared at her.

"She's right; like it or not, we're all family. Henry connects us all and he means the world to us, so if that means we have to band together to make sure he gets off of this island safe then so be it," Charming said as he moved to stand next to Snow.

"If you're going to get the lad, you have to go through the maze of regrets," Hook said as everyone turned to look at him. The pirate looked deathly pale and was shaking and sweating.

Rumplestiltskin conjured in his hands a flask and tossed it to Hook.

"Drink it, it's water from the sexton; I believe you know what happens if you drink it," Rumple said as Hook stared at him.

"Why are you doing this?" Hook asked.

"Because it's what my son would want me to do," Rumple replied as a silent understanding passed between the two men. Their feud was far from over, but they understood that in order to leave the island would require their cooperation.

"So the plan is what exactly?" Tinkerbell asked.

"Well, we sent Ariel back to Storybrooke to retrieve a magical item from Gold's shop," Regina said as Rumple nodded.

"She should be returning to Neverland as we speak," Rumple said.

"Does she know where to meet you?" Snow asked.

"She's supposed to meet us at the water's edge," Regina replied.

"Well then that's where we're going," Charming said as everyone began to move through the forest.

oOoOo

Just as everyone was heading towards the water's edge, Robin pulled Regina back so that they could have a few moments alone.

"Is everything alright Robin?" Regina asked.

She was taken by surprise when she felt Robin's lips press against hers. It was sudden, but once the shock wore off, she felt herself melting into his embrace, moaning when she felt his tongue run along the seam of her lips. She closed her eyes, winding her hands around his neck as his tongue ran along the seam of her lips once more. She slowly opened her mouth, granting him access and oh, what a wonderful idea that was. Feeling his lips upon hers was like magic, literally. The kiss seemed to last forever, though it was only a few moments before Robin pulled away. He pressed their foreheads together as he tenderly pressed a kiss to her nose.

"You've no idea how long I've wanted to do that," Robin murmured as Regina looked up at him with a smirk.

"What stopped you?" she teased.

"Sometimes, it's all about timing," Robin said with a smile he Regina glanced down and saw his Lion Tattoo.

Of course this, her having feelings for Robin was dangerous, especially with them being on the island, but there was something inside of Regina that wouldn't allow her to run from him.

"We'd better catch up to the others before they start to suspect something," Regina said as she turned to head in the direction of the others, though she stopped when Robin reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I'm in no rush to catch up with them; I feel like we need a few moments. Things are particularly tense between you and Emma at the moment," He said.

"But-"

"We'll tell them that you needed a few moments to collect yourself," Robin said as he took his hand in hers as they began to walk.

"What do you see in me?" Regina asked him as they made their way through the forest.

"Hopefully what you see in me, a second change; plus you're quite a good kisser," Robin grinned as Regina playfully bumped him just as they approached the clearing.

"So nice of you two to join us," Hook said, looking like his normal self.

"Relax pirate, I needed a moment to collect myself," Regina said as everyone looked at her knowingly.

"If that's what you want us to believe…" Tinkerbell said with a grin as Regina went to question her by what that statement meant.

"You can save your interrogations for later; Ariel's coming," Rumple said as he pointed towards a moving figure in the water.

In an instant, Ariel was heading towards them, standing on two legs as she made her way towards the shore.

"But how-"

"I gave her back her legs, or rather control of them," Regina said to Snow as Ariel approached them.

"Well, do you have it?" Rumple asked, watching as Ariel pulled a small box from a pouch that hung on her waist.

"It wasn't an easy task but, I was able to get it," Ariel said with a smile as she handed the item to Rumpelstiltskin.

"What is that?" Emma asked, taking a step closer to the mysterious item that was to trap Peter Pan and get them off of the island.

"Pandora's Box," Gold announced.

"Wait, Ariel, you said something about getting Pandora's Box wasn't an easy task; what happened?" Regina asked.

"Pan had people in Storybrooke and I was almost caught by them. I think he's on to you all," Ariel said.

 _Chapter 11 to follow…_

* * *

 **Hello everyone! Sorry this update took longer than I intended, but I had to tie up some loose strings within the plot…sort of. I want to apologize as to how I'm having Emma attack Regina. I'm trying to be as realistic as possible with her. I feel like on the show, Emma wasn't really given the opportunity to struggle with everything that happened following the curse breaking. So you can expect her to struggle with her emotions, especially in her relationship with Regina. You'll get some of that tension with her parents in the coming chapters. This next chapter, which is the penultimate chapter before we end part I of this story, is nothing more than a filler chapter. It shouldn't be entirely too long and I may be able to get it up sometime this week, particularly this coming weekend. I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this story!**

 **Until Next Time!**

 **Xx**


	10. Chapter 8

**So before I dive into the next chapter, I wanna apologize for the long delay. As usual, real life got in the way and I'm sorry. I have to give a special shout out to PrueAndyForever. Her review of the last chapter was by far one of the sweetest reviews I've ever received. I'm glad there are fic writers out there who truly enjoy and understand what it means to tackle hard subjects. I truly appreciate the review, and I love that pen name; do I sense a fellow Charmed fan? Lol. Anywho, I'm not posting that long list of disclaimers anymore, I'm only forewarning when a chapter has heavy subject matter. This chapter is basically a filler chapter; we've got one final chapter after this before we leave Neverland. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, and if you get bored, I've got a slew of one-shots that I'm going to be posting in "The New Definition of Love: One Shots" series just in case you can't wait any longer for an update on this fic. Also, I'm doing a re-write of season 5 called "Darkness", feel free to check that one out as well!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Xx**

* * *

Storybrooke-1 Week Earlier

Crossing realms was an easy task for a mermaid; they were magical creatures who lived underwater. They didn't need magic beans, ruby slippers and other objects; as long as there was some sort of pond, lake, or ocean their journey would be easy. Ariel's head bobbed above the surface; the lights from the sun were blinding, so blinding that she had to shield her eyes. From the distance she could make out the tiny town of Storybrooke; it was exactly like Regina had said. Reaching into the pouch around her waist, she pulled out the magical bracelet and placed it on her arm. The water was shallow enough that she could stand, and on shaky legs, she made her way towards the shore.

Grumpy and the other dwarf's were having lunch out near the pier when they noticed a figure emerge from the water. Immediately, the dwarfs ran down to the shore to get a better look.

"Hi, my name's Ariel; I was hoping you all could tell me where I could find someone named…Belle?" The dwarves stood with their mouths ajar; they couldn't believe it, standing in front of them was a mermaid, a mermaid with legs at that!

Neverland: Present

"What do you mean Pan's on to us?" Regina asked as she and the others stood near the water's edge.

"Storybrooke's not as safe as you thought it would be; there are people in your town who've been working for Pan," Ariel said as Regina sighed.

"Someone in town is working for Pan? Great, this is exactly what we need; where did you leave them?" Regina asked.

"I left them tied up in Rumpelstiltskin's shop with Belle," Ariel said as a faint smile appeared on Rumple's face.

"Belle will know what to do with them," Rumple murmured.

"So what do we do now?" Emma asked, looking to Regina for answers.

"You said you had a plan, tell us what it is," Regina sighed heavily before she and Gold exchanged glances.

"Like Regina said, we had a plan, and that plan was to trap Pan in this box, but now that he knows what we're up to, we need a different strategy." Gold said.

"Which is?" Charming asked

"You need bait," Tinkerbell said as everyone turned to look at her.

"She's right; if anyone knows this island its Tinkerbell and me," Hook said.

"Alright pirate, what do you two suggest?" Gold asked.

"Regina, you need to go into the camp and pretend that you're gonna do what Pan asked," Hook said as Robin shook his head.

"Are you all mad? You want to send her in there to Pan after-" Regina placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him from talking.

"Robin, I'll be fine; Henry's my son and I'd be willing to do anything for him," There was a look in Regina's eyes that begged Robin to trust her.

"Alright just…be careful," Robin murmured as Regina nodded.

"Robin's right, after what Pan made her go through in those dreams…Regina, are you sure you can handle it?"

"I handled my mother for years, survived being Rumple's student, was trapped in a curse for 28 years and was electrocution for 2 whole days before we got here. I'm sure I can handle Peter Pan." Regina said as Emma nodded.

"You might be able to, but we still need a well thought out plan that convinces Pan that this is serious," Tinkerbell said.

"And just how do we do that?" David asked as Regina looked around at everyone.

"Pan wants me to turn into the Evil Queen; that's the only way he can get what he needs. If he wants the Queen then, I'll just have to bring her out to play for a while." Regina said with a smile as Rumple snorted.

"Something you wanna say Gold?" Regina raised an eyebrow at the imp who merely shook his head.

"I've known Peter Pan for quite some time and he's far from stupid. If I'm right, he's been watching you, watching all of us and will be able to tell that you aren't the queen, not anymore." Rumple said, staring at Regina before he continued.

"You haven't been the Evil Queen for quite some time dearie; having your boy has made you go soft. Sure, you aligned with your mother to try and destroy everyone but, you've changed. Love has made you lose your edge; Pan won't buy into your act for one second. And if you should try and pretend, he'll put you to the test and make you prove it; and we both know you're not willing to do whatever it takes," Regina's nostrils flared in anger as she listened to Rumpelstiltskin's words.

"I think you're forgetting who I am; I'm the same woman who cast a curse and destroyed an entire population. I'm also the same woman who poisoned Snow White, I'm also the very same person who was able to fool you into believing that Belle was dead when she was really locked away in an asylum for 28 years. I ripped out my own father's heart to cast that curse and betrayed my only friend, turned her into a dragon and kept her locked away underneath the town library. I came here, against my will to get my son back, so don't you dare try and tell me I won't do whatever it takes. You created me Gold, you know who I am; don't think for one second that the Evil Queen's gone anywhere," Regina snarled as Rumple stood there, unmoved and unfazed by her words.

"If you're still the Evil Queen, rip out his heart," Rumple said; his eyes never left Regina's, though his hand pointed towards Robin Hood.

Regina gulped as she glanced back at Robin; maybe Gold was right, maybe she wasn't cut out for this. Maybe she wasn't the Evil Queen anymore? No, he wasn't right; she needed to do whatever it took to get Henry back, and if that meant ripping out Robin's heart then dammit she'd do it. Slowly, she made her way over to Robin whose eyes reflected something similar to her own; fear. She knew that there was some sort of connection between the two of them. How could she not after the amazing kiss they'd just shared? Still, she needed to do this, to prove to Gold and everyone else that she could do it, that she could still be just as evil and just as ruthless.

"This is going to hurt," Regina whispered to Robin who nodded.

"Are you giving your victim's warnings now? The Evil Queen I knew-"Rumple began as Regina plunged her hand into Robin's chest, effectively pulling out his heart. Regina stared at the beating organ in wonder; while it wasn't as dark as her own, there were still shades of darkness. He hadn't been kidding when he said that the darkness resided within him as well. Regina looked at Rumple, still holding the pulsing organ in her hands as she ignored the pain that she felt within her own heart.

"Well?" She asked as Rumple stared at her, neither one of them blinking.

"Squeeze it; squeeze it until he's near the brink of death," Rumple commanded.

Immediately, there was a gasp of outrage at Rumple's command, but instead, Regina held up a hand and froze them all in place. She kept her eyes on Rumple and Rumple only; she needed to do this. She swallowed audibly as she willed her hand to stop shaking as she held up Robin's heart and began to squeeze. She forced the muscles in her face to remain relaxed as Robin's screams filled the forest air around them. She pushed back tears as she heard Robin's body fall to the ground beside her. Her eyes were on Rumple and Rumple alone; she needed to prove to him that she could do this.

Rumple, however, stood unmoving as he watched her squeeze the heart looking unconvinced and unamused. Still, Regina stood her ground and continued to squeeze, despite the way she could feel her own heart constricting. She felt her hand twitch when Robin's breathing became more labored; he was nearing death and she knew it, could feel it. Rumple kept his eyes focused on her, waiting to see if she would break, to see if she would stop. She could only hope that Robin would forgive her, that is if he even survived this. His heart was beginning to slow, only a few faint beats per second in her hand.

"Stop," Rumple finally commanded as her hand dropped with relief, though she made sure not to let Robin's heart fall to the ground.

"Put his heart back in his chest," Regina didn't need to be told twice. She immediately rushed to Robin's side, cradling his head in her lap as she quietly reassured him that he would be alright. His eyes were glassy, but he still managed to look at her with hope. She carefully pressed the organ back into his chest and waited for that telltale sign of breathing or for his color to change back to its normal rosy pink color.

But it didn't.

"What's happening? Why isn't he-"

"You nearly crushed it into ash; he's still dying Regina…now save him," Regina's eyes went wide at Rumple's command. She'd never done this before; when she crushed hearts they usually turned into ash and she thought nothing of it. She'd never had to save a victim from the brink of death.

"How!?" Rumple smirked.

"Figure it out; he's only got a few moments left to live," Regina glared at Rumple before looking down at Robin.

Fuck, how was she supposed to fix this? And what the hell was the point of this little exercise?!

"Tick tock dearie, tick tock; I'd hate for young Roland to be an orphan all because the Evil Queen killed his father," Regina paused as she looked up at Rumple, who suddenly morphed into Peter Pan.

"You, but where's-"

"Rumple? He's in here," Pan said as Pandora's Box appeared in his hands.

"But-"

"Did you really think that I'd just let you all get away so easily?" Pan laughed as he moved closer to Regina, a sinister grin on his face.

"I tried to warn you not to cross me, but you did. Now, someone has to pay the price and it looks like its going to be your little soulmate," Pan whispered in her ear as Regina looked up at him completely shocked.

"Oh yes, I know all about that and many other things as well…but that's beside the point. Your time is running out Regina," Pan said as she looked down at Robin.

How in the hell was she supposed to save him? Rumple had always told her that you couldn't bring people back from the dead…but Robin wasn't exactly dead, yet. Taking a deep breath, Regina held her hands out over his chest, calling forth her magic to save Robin. It didn't seem to be working; she closed her eyes, focusing hard on her magic but still, nothing worked.

Robin was going to die.

"No, no, no, no; it wasn't supposed to end like this," Regina whispered, still cradling Robin's body in her arms as Pan stood over her and laughed.

"I told you, Peter Pan never fails…unfortunately for you, I'm gonna have to take Henry's heart by force," Pan said as Regina looked at him in horror.

"Oh yes, Henry's heart still belongs to me, seeing as it was promised to me a long time ago," There was something in the way that Pan said those words that sent a chill down Regina's spine.

"What do you mean you were promised Henry's heart a long time ago?" Pan circled her, laughing slowly, menacingly as he spoke.

"Oh, that's right; Rumple never told you, he never told any of you about how we know one another. Well, I'll enlighten you; Rumple and I are brothers. When our parents abandoned us and we ended up here, I couldn't stay because I was too old. There was one way I could; I had to absorb all of the magic of the island. It cursed the island but I became youthful…that is until the magic started wearing away. The only way for me to stay this way is to obtain the heart of the truest believer; a heart that I later learned would come through my baby brother's lineage. Of course, you know that your son Henry holds that heart, and I'm going to get it, one way or another. Like I said, Regina, you can help me willingly or I can force you to help me. So, what's it going to be Regina? Watch Robin and your son die, or give me Henry's heart and I'll show you how to save Robin?"

 _Chapter 10 to follow…_

* * *

 **Yes, yes I know; not what you were expecting huh? Neither was I but when I started writing, I felt a plot twist coming and, I went with it. We only have one more chapter after this one before we leave Neverland and head into part II. I can't say what's going to happen in the next chapter or when I'll be posted because again, real life and stuff. I do know that everyone will leave Neverland alive and in one piece…as to whether or not everyone survives the rest of the story well, you'll just have to keep reading, won't you?**

 **Xx**


	11. Chapter 9

**I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter; as I said before I had no intention of that big plot twist but, I went with it. This is the last chapter of our Neverland arc; just as a reminder, the gang has been in Neverland for roughly 2 weeks or so. The next few chapters will be intermediate chapters before we dive into the Missing Year. I'm hoping that since things are about to calm down in my personal life that I can update this story on a more consistent basis. With that being said, enjoy chapter 10 (which is really chapter 12!)**

 **Xx**

* * *

Neverland:

Neal Cassidy was furious; his sole purpose was to come to Neverland and retrieve his son. Now, he was stuck sitting in the echo caves. He'd never even gotten the chance to see if Emma or Henry were actually on the island. He felt even guiltier that Robin Hood and his son were stuck here as well. He kicked furiously at the pebbles in his cramped cage. How the hell was he supposed to get out of here? How was he supposed to protect Emma and Henry from Pan? Neal sighed heavily as he shook the bars on his cage.

"Lemme out! Lemme outta here!" He shouted, though no one responded, the only sound he could hear was the echo of his own voice.

"Dammit I really fucked up this time; I should've listened to Emma when she tried to tell me Tamara was double crossing me," Neal sighed harshly just as he heard a sound coming from the other end of the cave.

"Who's there?" Neal called out, turning his head to see where the noise came from.

Standing in front of him was a young man not much older than Henry. He looked sad and unhappy, something that wasn't seen on the faces of many Lost Boys.

"Who are you, what are you doing here?" Neal asked.

"My name's Michael and I'm here to help you," Neal looked at the young boy for a moment. He couldn't quite place where he remembered him from; the young boy laughed.

"You don't remember me, but I remember you, Balefire," Neal's eyes lit up; no one called him Balefire, ever. That meant that whoever this young boy was had to have known him from before; but how?

"How do you-" Once more, the young boy laughed.

"You're a lot older than you were the last time we met," Michael giggled as he opened the cage, moving aside as Neal stepped out.

"Who are you?" Neal asked once more, keeping his eyes focused on the boy.

"You really don't remember me, do you?" Michael asked as Neal shook his head sadly.

"My memory's kinda rusty," Neal admitted sheepishly.

"You saved me from the shadow, a long time ago," Michael said as the realization dawned on him; this was Wendy's little brother.

"Mikey?" Neal whispered as the boy nodded his head.

"But how-"

"Wendy, she went looking for you; John and I couldn't let her come alone," Michael said as he led Neal out of the Echo caves.

"Can I ask where Wendy is now?" Neal's heart began to pound; he knew how Pan worked, and if Michael was still stuck here after all these years, there's no telling what could've happened to Wendy and John.

"Wendy's gone on now; she left us a few years ago. John's still here, he works for Pan now. He has no idea I'm helping you do this. Neal, you have to get off of this island," Michael said as they came to a stop.

"You said Wendy was gone, did she…" He swallowed a lump in his throat, preparing himself for the worst.

"If you're thinking she died then yes, you're right; she did die. She was stuck here, we all were; she died peacefully in her sleep," Michael said, a hint of dejection in his voice as they continued to walk.

"I'm sorry man," Neal said, reaching out for the young boy's arm, though he quickly recoiled away from him.

"You should be sorry! You're the reason we're even here in the first place! Wendy came back to save you, but you weren't even here!" Michael shouted.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry; I had no idea Wendy would…I'm sorry man," Neal hung his head in shame; yet another person willing to sacrifice themselves for him. Only this time, Wendy didn't make it.

"How did you get off the island?" Michael whispered; when he looked up at Neal, there were tears in his eyes.

"Pan let me go; it was a trap though, he wanted me to leave so that I could bring my son here," Neal said as Michael's eyes lit up.

"Your son is here? Which one is your son?" Michael asked.

"Henry, my son's name is Henry, have you seen him?" Neal asked hopefully, though his heart sank when he saw the look in Michael's eyes.

"Henry's still here…for now; Pan's got him locked away though, he and Roland," Michael began kicking at the dirt, a clear sign to Neal that something was up.

"Mikey, you know you can tell me anything, right?" Neal tried slowly to approach the boy, though Michael quickly stepped back out of fear.

"I want you to promise me that I'll get off the island too,"

"I promise,"

"Promise me Neal! Swear to me that I'll be saved too!" Michael shouted, causing Neal to glance around.

The sky was still dark, darker than usual; the sky seemed to be a deep, midnight blue, letting him know that it was well past sundown. The air was cool; from a distance he could hear the ocean. The trees provided them with shelter and even more of a breeze, causing a slight chill.

"I promise you Michael, you'll get out of here safe," Neal said.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Another voice said, causing Michael to jump.

"J-John, what are you doing here?" Michael squeaked as he slowly began to back away from his brother.

"I saw you went missing and I just had to find you; hello Balefire, or should I say, Neal?" John was nearly a foot taller than Neal, his dirty blonde hair hanging almost in his eyes. He still wore glasses, though they looked to be very different than the ones he wore the last time Neal saw him. His once round and chubby face had filled out, now covered in pimples and acne spots.

"John," Neal breathed, though John's eyes were trained on his younger brother.

"What have I told you about running off Mikey?" John began to stalk towards his younger brother, completely ignoring Neal.

"John, he didn't know about Wendy!" Michael pleaded.

"Yes he did, if it weren't for him we wouldn't be here, and Wendy would still-"

"I didn't know about Wendy John, I swear!" Neal said, causing John to turn around and look at him.

"How'd you get off the island? We looked everywhere for you! How'd you leave?" Neal gulped visibly before trying to explain.

"I never thought I'd get off the island either John but then one day Pan just…he let me go," Neal said as fury filled John's eyes.

"That's bullshit! Pan doesn't just let anyone go!" He shouted.

"He let Hook go; I'm pretty sure Hook was still here when you arrived," Neal said.

"Hook was here, but Pan said that he died," John looked at Neal skeptically, still unconvinced by anything he said.

"I'm telling you, Hook left because Pan wanted him to. Pan's been looking for a boy; the heart of the truest believer…that boy is Henry, my son," Neal watched as John's eyes lit up with recognition.

"I wondered why he looked so familiar," he murmured.

"He's my son; Peter Pan had him brought here by Greg and Tamara," Neal explained.

"They're dead now; Pan killed Greg first, then Tamara," John said quietly.

"Why'd he kill em?"

"He killed Greg because he dared question him; he killed Tamara because, well, she was looking for you. Or at least she was trying to; she'd heard that you were here, so did Henry," Neal's eyes light up with hope.

"So Henry knows I'm here then?"

"Oh no; Pan wiped away his memory. It's happening tonight you know; Pan's going to take Henry's heart real soon," John had a faraway look in his eyes as he spoke.

"How? John we have to get to him, please; he's my only boy," Neal was begging at this point and didn't care who saw. All he wanted to do was get to Henry and Emma.

"He's not going to do it; he's gonna use some woman named Regina to do it for him…does her name mean anything to you?" John asked as Neal's face went pale.

"She's his other mother; she's also the Evil Queen," Neal whispered.

oOoOo

Regina sat holding Robin's body, cradling it as gently as possible. He was dying and she knew it, but there was no way to stop it.

"Why are you doing this?!" Regina shouted, hoping to get some sort of understanding as to why Pan was the way he was.

"I'm what happens when parents abandon their children or force them to grow up before their time. I was just a child when they shouldered me with Rumple; I lost my youth when I was forced to take care of him. They only made it worse when they died; he was just a tiny cowardly thing so I couldn't leave him to die. So I took care of him, and all he did was bleed me dry like the leech he is," Pan said

"What your parents did wasn't your fault, trust me, I know a thing or two about terrible parents," Regina said quietly as Pan looked at her.

"Your mother was quite terrible in her own right wasn't she? Is that why you chose to become the Evil Queen?" Pan taunted as Regina shook her head.

"No, I became the Evil Queen because I was looking for something: love and I found it with Henry. Pan, you don't have to do this, you don't have to take Henry's heart, and you don't have to let Robin die…please," Pan looked at Regina, at the desperation in her eyes and then, he laughed.

"Oh Regina; you see, that's the difference between you and I. You were looking for love; I was just looking to have a good time. I didn't need all of those superficial things like love and family; I just needed to stay young and be free. Thanks to your boy's heart I'll be able to do that for all eternity," Pan laughed as Robin let out a soft groan from his place in Regina's lamp.

"You're gonna be okay Robin, I promise," Regina whispered as she carded her hands through his hair.

"He can be, for a price; you just hand over Henry's heart and you can have Robin. I mean, isn't that what you want, a life with him? You don't need Henry; he's served his purpose in your life. The only thing he's going to do if he should make it off of this island is run off with his real family. Don't ever think he considered you his family; if anything you destroyed his family. You forced his grandmother to abandon her child and for what? Because your mother decided to take away your stable boy?" Pan taunted as the anger began to boil over inside of Regina.

She looked down at Robin tearfully, before gently lying him down on the ground. Once she stood she faced Pan with a menacing stare as she marched towards him, using her magic to toss him into a tree.

"You look surprised Pan, didn't think I had it in me, did you?" Regina snarled as she placed Pan in a magical chokehold.

"You'd, really give up your soulmate for some boy?" Pan wheezed, only forcing Regina to tighten her grip on his throat.

"Henry Daniel Mills is not just some boy; he's a boy who filled a hole in my heart, one that I thought I'd never have filled again. He taught me that I could be forgiven for all of my sins; he taught me the meaning of love and family," Regina said as a rustling could be heard coming from the bushes.

"Mom, stop!" Regina whipped her head around and nearly wept for joy; Henry was here and alive.

oOoOo

The cool air from the forest brushed against Neal's face as he ran; he had to get to Henry, and fast. He knew Regina had changed, at least, from what Emma had told him. Still, he knew who Regina was in the past, and he wasn't sure what would happen if she and Pan ever crossed paths. He could only hope that her love for Henry was strong enough to keep her from doing the unthinkable. Neal ran as fast as his could; his lungs felt like they were on fire, but he needed to get to Regina, he needed to get to Emma and Henry before it was too late. Finally, they arrived at a small village with several wooden tents. Neal looked around for Henry until Michael pulled him behind a nearby bush.

"You can't go in there; if they see you, you're dead," Michael whispered.

"If I don't find my son, he's dead," Neal whispered back.

"Michael's right; if you go in there, Felix will notice you and you'll be dead. Let me go in and get him. Pan trusts me and so do the other boys; I'll be in and out with Henry in no time, I promise," Neal looked at John, hoping to find honesty in his eyes and he did.

"Alright, bring me back my son John; I'm trusting you," John nodded as he made his way into the camp.

Neal stood behind the bushes, watching intently as John was greeted by one of the Lost Boys before heading inside the compound. He could only wait in silence and hope that his son would be returned to him alive.

oOoOo

John's heart pounded inside of his chest as he made his way inside the compound. He had never been so nervous in his life, especially since if things went wrong, it could cost him dearly. The older boy, Felix walked beside him, eyeing him curiously as they made their way into the middle of the camp.

"Something's off with you," Felix said, moving to stand in front of him; John gulped.

"Well, I am nervous; the prisoner escaped," John admitted as Felix's eyes widened.

"How the hell did that happen? It's impossible to escape the Echo caves," Felix marveled.

"He has been here before…" John said.

"There's no way unless…someone let him out," Felix said as his eyes narrowed.

"Who would be stupid enough to betray Peter Pan and let him out?" John said, doing his best to keep his voice steady.

"I can think of a few people," Felix said, keeping his eyes on John.

"Maybe Pan let him out? I mean, he is planning on taking Henry's heart tonight, or so I heard," John said, doing his best to not make Felix suspicious of him or Michael.

"Why would Pan-"

"Its Pan; no one ever knows what he's thinking, he could very well have let him out in order to trick the others," John said as Felix mulled it over in his head.

"Pan could've let him out to distract the others…but why would he leave the boy?" he wondered aloud.

"Which is why I think we should let him go as well," John said quickly as Felix looked at him suspiciously.

"Why should we do that?" Felix asked; John had to think fast, because he knew Felix's suspicion was starting to grow and he knew just how loyal he was to Pan.

"It makes sense, doesn't it? If we let Henry out, he'll lead his father straight to Pan. This is what Pan wants Felix; he wants them all there when he rips out Henry's heart and I want to see Balefire suffer for what he did to my sister," John could only hope that Felix bought his words. They were partially true, but he wanted to get off of the island even more; and if that meant Neal could help him, then so be it. Felix gave him a sinister smile that turned into a proud smirk.

"I told Pan that you and Michael were a good fit when he brought you here. You've got just the right amount of despair and hatred inside," John stared at Felix in shock; Pan brought them there?

"What do you mean?"

"Surely you don't think your meeting Balefire was a coincidence, do you? Pan knew who he was all along. He'd tried to get him here years ago but was unsuccessful; it wasn't until he met you Darling children that he saw his opportunity," Felix laughed.

So Neal wasn't responsible for Wendy's death like he'd always thought. John did the best he could not to lunge at Felix and kill him. He had to remain calm; it was the only way that he and Michael would get off of the island alive and go home.

oOoOo

Henry Mills had begun to lose hope, and hope was something the young boy always had. Henry had been on the island for weeks now and neither of his mothers had come to for him(or so he thought). His only companion was young Roland, who had been here for as long as he could remember. The one thing he could say about his stay in Neverland was that Pan was always nice to both he and Roland. The Lost Boys never said much to them, only greeted and spoke with them when it was time to eat or when they wanted to play. Still, though, Henry missed home; he longed for the comfort and familiarity of being in Storybrooke. What he missed most was his mom Regina; he often found himself wondering if his other family was being nice to her now that he was gone.

Today had been like any other day on the island; Henry and Roland remained isolated in their little tent and played together. As usual, Roland asked Henry what it had been like to have a family and he told him of his life in Storybrooke. For some reason, Roland had become completely fascinated by the idea of Henry having two moms, one of them being the Evil Queen. The clouds began to turn a dark purple like color, signaling to Henry that sunset was near. The air had begun to turn cooler as the leaves swayed back and forth from the trees. It was close to dinner time if the smell coming from the fire nearby was any indication. Henry and Roland were sitting quietly beside the fire as Henry taught the young boy his ABC's when they were approached by Felix and another older boy.

"Henry, this is John; you're going to go with him, Pan wants to see you," Felix told him.

Henry looked at the boy suspiciously; he was tall and had dark sandy brown hair. His eyes were a bright green color and he looked kind, enough. John glanced over at Roland, whispering to Felix and pointing at him.

"Roland, you go with John too; Pan wants to see you as well," With that, Felix left the two boys alone with John, who wordlessly motioned for them to follow.

Henry and Roland walked side by side with John in relative silence. Henry knew that Roland was scared with the way he held onto his hand as they walked. Once they were a great distance from the camp, they came to a stop and John turned to face them.

"Henry, I have something to tell you; something Pan doesn't want you to know about," John said; his words heightened Henry's curiosity.

"What?" he asked, tilting his head to the side in interest.

"When you were brought here, did you come with a man and a woman named Greg and Tamara?" Henry nodded.

"Pan killed them," He said quietly as John paused for a moment before continuing with his line of questioning.

"How many mothers do you have Henry?" John asked; this question really threw Henry for a loop. Why would John want to know about his family? Not unless…

"My moms, are they here to save me?" Henry's eyes shined with hope as John nodded in confirmation.

"Yes! I knew they would come, I knew it! Did you hear that Roland? My moms are here!" Roland jumped up and down in excitement; he was truly happy for Henry.

"Henry, that's not all; Pan's been playing with you this whole time. Your moms have been here in Neverland looking for you since you went missing," John told him. Suddenly, Henry wasn't so happy anymore.

"Wh-what do you mean? Pan said-"

"Henry, Pan's a liar and you can't trust him," Henry looked around at the sound of the familiar voice. His eyes widened in shock and surprise when he saw his father walking towards him.

"Dad? But I thought-"

"I'm Rumplestiltskin's kid; did ya really believe I died?" Neal said with a smirk as his son rushed into his arms. Nothing felt better than to have his son in his arms once more.

"I hate to break up this reunion but…" Neal placed Henry back onto the ground and quickly began to explain what had been going on.

"So, Pan wants my mom to rip out my heart so that he can stay young forever?" Henry asked as Neal nodded.

"Which is why it's very important that we get you to your mom before it's too late," John said.

Henry looked over at Roland, who had been noticeably quiet since Neal appeared.

"What about Roland? He's my friend and he has no family; we can't leave him behind once we rescue everyone else," Henry said as Neal smiled, making his way over to the young boy.

"Roland, I know you don't remember this but, you do have a family; your father is Robin Hood," Neal said to him.

"Robin Hood is Roland's dad?!" Henry said in amazement as his dad chuckled.

"The one and only; I'm sort of the reason Roland ended up here in the first place," Neal admitted sheepishly.

"We can explain and apologize later, right now…" John said, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Right, let's go save everybody and stop Pan!" Neal said. Michael quickly hoisted Roland into his arms as they set off in the direction of the group's camp.

oOoOo

Regina looked up when she heard the sound of her son's voice. Her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of Henry, alive and unharmed. She was even more surprised to see Neal, along with two Lost Boys and a smaller boy who, based on his dimples she assumed was Robin's son Roland.

"Well, well, well; so nice of you to join us Balefire, now we can make this a family affair," Pan laughed.

"A family affair? What the hell are you talking about Pan?" Neal asked, confusion and anger written all over his face.

"It seems none of you knew; Rumplestiltskin is my brother, which makes you my nephew and Henry here, my great nephew," Pan said with a laugh as he watched Neal's expression change.

"Where's my father, what did you do with him?" Neal growled

"I put him in here; too bad he can't come out and say hello," Pan twirled Pandora's Box around in his hand as though it meant nothing to him.

"Pan, why are you doing this? Why did you lie? Why did you wipe away my memories? Why are you trying to hurt my family?" Henry asked.

"Because I couldn't tell you the truth Henry; I couldn't tell you that I needed your heart in order to live," Pan said, hoping that he could appeal to Henry's emotions.

"I don't like it when people lie to me Pan," Henry said as he approached his mother. However, just as he neared her he fell to the ground gasping for air.

"Henry!" Immediately, she ran towards her son, though Pan used his magic and tossed her into a tree that immediately used its vines to tie her to it.

"Oh Regina, Regina, Regina, Regina; you really should've listened to me when I first offered you that deal. Now, everyone's gonna suffer; you see, this tree you're currently tied to is the tree of regret. This tree is a very monumental spot for me; standing under this tree is where I traded my mortality for youth. It's also the spot where I abandoned by baby brother. It's ironic that you'll be meeting your fate at the hands of this very same tree. It's quite poetic, don't you think? The Evil Queen is gonna meet her end under a tree that haunts your biggest regrets; and who has more to regret than you?" Pan laughed.

Regina tried fighting against the tree but nothing worked. She was trapped, unable to help Robin or Henry. Her mind was on Henry the most; due to the fact that whatever Pan did sent him to the ground and had him gasping for air. He now lay on the ground completely still, still enough to send chills down Regina's spine. Then there was Robin to think about; Robin, whom she was sure was dead by no. A single tear ran down Regina's cheek as her mind was flooded with memories of her past. She closed her eyes as the thoughts began racing through her mind. There were so many things that she had done wrong and there was not a day that didn't go by that she didn't think about it. Suddenly, it hit her; if she hadn't gone down the path she'd gone down she wouldn't have the most important thing in her life: Henry.

Regina's hands began to shake as they were filled with a strong, pulsating magic that seemed to flood her core. She could feel the tendrils of magic pulling from within her, though this time, the magic was different. This wasn't the usual darkness and anger that tugged at her insides. No, this was different, causing a warm sensation to fill her body; this was light magic.

Regina Mills had light magic.

She watched as Pan circled Henry's body, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. He turned to look at Regina with a smirk.

"Any last words from the Queen?" Pan teased, though he paused when he noticed the look in her eyes.

"You're right; I have done a lot of terrible things in my life. I did cast a curse that destroyed an entire population. I wiped away everyone's memories for 28 years; I tortured, murdered, and ruined many lives. I should be flooded over with regret but…I'm not," Regina said as Pan's eyes widened at her confession.

"Because it got me, my son," Regina said as she plunged her hand into Pan's chest, pulling out his heart as he looked at her in shock.

"But-"

"Why Pan, don't look so surprised; I told you who I was but you didn't believe me," Regina said, a dangerous look in her eyes as she squeezed his heart until it turned to ash.

Peter Pan was dead.

Once Pan's body dropped to the floor, Regina ran towards her son, cradling him in her arms as she allowed her magic to sweep over his body.

"Henry, Henry, wake up," Regina whispered; it took a few moments but, Henry's eyes flew.

"M-mom?" Henry whispered as Regina nodded tearfully before wrapping her arms around him.

"I'm right here Henry and I am never letting you go again, I promise," Regina said as she pressed a kiss to his brow.

Suddenly, a burst of strong magic filled the air, sweeping over the entire island. The once gloomy and dreary looking island was now a place of peace and serenity. For the first time since they'd been here, the sun was shining. When Regina looked up, she noticed Emma rushing towards Henry, wrapping her arms around him as well.

"You scared the hell out of us kid," Emma said tearfully, running a hand over Henry's face as he grinned at her.

"Mom saved me, she saved all of us," Henry said as Regina immediately remembered Robin.

"Not all of us," she said sadly as she saw Roland hovering over his father, gently shaking him.

"Papa? Papa, wake up," Roland said; his bottom lip quivered when his father didn't move.

"Regina, you have to do something," Snow insisted as Regina sighed.

"In case you forgot, I ripped out his heart and nearly crushed it to death," Regina hissed.

"You can still save him; the island's magic has been restored. All you have to do is believe, believe in yourself, believe in magic again," Tinkerbell told her.

Regina sighed as she moved towards Robin, her heart breaking at the sight of little Roland weeping atop of his father's body. She kneeled down beside him and gently reached out to touch his shoulder, spooking him a bit.

"It's alright Roland, I won't hurt you; my name's Regina. I'm a…friend of your daddy's; I'm also Henry's mom," Roland looked up at her curiously, but brightened when she mentioned being Henry's mother.

"Henry said you have magic, can you save my papa? He won't wake up," Regina swallowed thickly as she glanced at Robin once more. She felt so sorry for what she'd done, for how she'd allowed Pan to trick her.

"I don't know if my magic will work Roland but, I'll try," Regina said.

She moved closer to Robin, her heart pounding profusely in her chest as she stared at him. Placing her hands out in front of her, Regina channeled her magic, the strong, powerful good magic she felt when she was saving Henry. She closed her eyes, calling forth her magic to do some sort of miracle on Robin's heart. She blinked one eye open and her heart sunk; he wasn't waking up.

"Take out his heart, you need to visualize the object you wish to heal," Regina looked up at the sound of Rumplestiltskin's voice.

"It looks like you've taken care of our little Pan problem all by yourself; impressive dearie," Rumple gave Regina an unamused smirk as she rolled her eyes.

"I can't do it, not with Roland standing here; I don't want to scare him," Snow nodded, stepping forward and gently explaining to the child that what Regina was going to do would be scary and that he shouldn't see such a thing. Roland complied and moved to the far side of the island, glancing back at Regina from time to time.

"Now you have no distractions; you've still got a little bit of time before his spirit completely leaves his body. If you're going to do something-"

"Will you shut up!" Regina snapped before plunging her hand into Robin's chest. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the faintest groan coming from his lips.

Once she held his heart in her hands she examined it; it was a bit bent and worn due to how hard she had squeezed. She looked over at Rumple for help with what to do next.

"Close your eyes and use the enchantment spell I taught you and then place the heart back into his chest," Rumple instructed.

Closing her eyes once more, Regina called forth her magic. She groaned as it tugged and pulled at her insides. Once she was sure the heart was in good condition, she gently placed it back into Robin Hood's chest. She waited with baited breath to see if it had worked; a few seconds later, Robin's skin lost that ghostly white glow and returned to its normal pinkish color as he took a gasping breath before sitting up. Roland glanced over at his father and rushed towards him the second his father blinked around, breathing out a startled,

"Roland?" The young boy was in tears by the time he reached his father, tackling him to the ground. Robin took it all in stride and let out a hearty laugh as he ran his fingers through his son's hair, breathing in his scent. Regina stood back with a smile as she watched the father-son reunion.

"She saved you papa! I knew she could, she saved Henry!" Roland was bouncing in his father's lap, babbling about how special Regina was because she had magic.

Robin glanced over at the woman he was slowly falling for a smiled, though the smile left his face the moment he noticed that she wasn't wearing one. Surely she didn't think he blamed her for what had happened? Robin sighed, noticing the look of fear and disappointment on her face; so she did blame herself. He was pulled from his thoughts by his son calling his name; he smiled down at the boy, paying close attention as he listened.

"Papa, I said Regina saved everybody! She made Peter Pan go away," Roland informed him. As he looked around, he saw Pan's now lifeless body on the ground a few feet away from where he now sat.

"You were able to defeat him?" Robin asked Regina, completely astonished.

"Who knew the Evil Queen could use light magic?" Regina said sheepishly.

Robin stood; hoisting Roland onto his hip as he carefully approached her, taking a hand a pressing a kiss to it.

"I owe you a great debt milady; you saved my life and reunited me with my son," Robin said, giving Regina a lopsided smile which she returned.

"Don't mention it; all I wanna do at this point, is get the hell of this island and go home with my son," Regina said as Henry stood next to her, taking his hand into her own and squeezing it.

"Ah yes, we've yet to be properly introduced. The name's Robin of Locksley, but most people know me as Robin Hood," Robin gave Regina an amused smile; the pair had already talked about the adorable hero worship Henry had for Robin Hood as a character since he was about 4.

"It's nice to finally meet you Robin, though I think Roland's the lucky one, having you for a dad," Robin glanced at Roland in question to how he knew Henry. The little boy nodded his head before responding.

"Pan brought Henry here too," Roland told his father, though his eyes were focused on Regina.

"It's a good thing Regina has magic aye?" Robin smiled at his son, still keeping his eyes on Regina.

"Yep, she saved me!" Roland cheered.

"She saved us all; thank you, Regina," Snow said with a grateful smile.

"We owe you one Regina," David said as the group heard a rustling coming from the bushes nearby.

"Who's there?" Emma called out as everyone took their positions, ready to fight anyone who stood as a threat to them.

A group of Lost Boys came barreling through the shrubbery, glancing around as one by one, their faces found Pan's lifeless body lying on the ground. One by one the boys questioned and shouted their outrage at the fact that their leader was now dead.

"What've you done?!" Felix shouted, casting glares at the heroes.

"Pan was threatening to destroy my family, so we did what we had to do," Neal said, standing a little taller.

"You fools! Pan wasn't-"

"Pan was a vicious killer and kidnapper; he stole you all from your families and I wasn't going to let him kill my son," Regina said as Felix glared at her.

"You have no idea what you've done; we will avenge Pan and-" Felix couldn't finish his sentence; Regina had placed him in a magical chokehold, casting a look at the remaining Lost Boys.

"Anyone who wishes to avenge Pan can meet the same fate at him. You have two choices, you can all continue to live here and be happy, or you can come back to Storybrooke with us, find a new home, a new family," Regina said.

The remaining Lost Boys looked amongst themselves, speaking quietly about what they should do. The glanced at Regina, who still had Felix in a magical chokehold and then at Pan, who was dead. A scrawny young boy named Patrick stepped forward, his body shaking in fear as he spoke to Regina.

"Please don't kill us; we, we just wanna go home," he said. Regina glanced at Snow who nodded her head in agreement. She sighed, took a deep breath before responding,

"I can't guarantee whether or not your family is still out there, because time stands still here. What I can guarantee is that if you come with us that you'll be with people who will protect you and love you and can give you a home," Regina spoke softly this time as she spoke, taking the time to eye each and every one of the boys.

Regina let her hand slip, allowing Felix to escape her grip. Once he was out of her grasp, he reached for his pocket where he carried a small spear drenched in dreamshade. Robin however, saw Felix reaching for the spear.

"Regina, watch out!" Regina turned just in time to see Felix drawing the spear, getting ready to stab her. Immediately, she conjured a fireball in her hand and threw it, incinerating him on the spot.

"Anyone else wanna try and cross me?" Regina asked; the remaining boys gulped, shaking their heads.

"Good; now, let's go home, all of us," Regina said with a smile, wrapping an arm around Henry she gave Robin a smile as everyone began making their way back towards the camp.

 _Chapter 11 to follow…_

 **Whew! It took me long enough; I feel like this was a great way to end part one. The next chapter will pick up with what happens once they leave Neverland and return to Storybrooke. I can't say how many chapters that will last but those are just filler chapters to get us to the Missing Year. Don't worry, the interesting stuff with Robin and Regina and a few other characters will happen soon.**

 **Happy reading!**

 **Xx**


	12. Post Neverland

The sunset in Neverland was absolutely beautiful; the sky was painted in a rich combination of pink, red, orange, and purple. The ocean water reflected the sunset as a cool breeze floated through the air. Everyone stood at the water's edge, prepared to board the Jolly Rodger. Some of the boys decided to stay behind; they realized that their families were long gone and they had nothing to go back to.

The shadow was destroyed along with Pan, so the island was now experiencing some of its most pure forms of magic. The magical ties were strong enough to break the curse that was supposed to keep Hook on the island forever, which made Emma (and everyone else) happy. Otherwise, who would get them back home? Rumple decided to give Pan some sort of burial; he buried his body underneath the tree of regret. Once everyone who was set to return with them to Storybrooke had gathered, everyone boarded the ship.

"You, have a lot of explaining to do," Emma said to Regina.

"Explaining about what?" Regina raised an eyebrow in question as both Emma and Snow cornered her at the edge of the ship.

"Just because we were frozen, doesn't mean we couldn't hear what Pan said about Robin Hood," Snow tilted her head to the side out of curiosity.

"Alright, fine; a long time ago I was given a second chance at love. Tinkerbell stole some pixie dust and it led me to a tavern. The pixie dust surrounded a man with a lion tattoo; the prophecy claimed that that man was my soulmate," Regina sighed heavily as she told them the story.

"So, what happened? How come you never-"

"I went to the tavern, but I never went in; I was too scared. I ran away, told Tink she was a terrible fairy, she lost her wings while I-"

"Became the Evil Queen?"

"Regina, why didn't you go in?" Snow's voice was soft when she spoke.

"I wasn't…I'd been training with Rumple and, he told me the darkness was all I had. That and, I couldn't get my mother's mantra that 'love is weakness' out of my head. I wasn't…I couldn't let Daniel go, not then," Emma reached out and gave Regina's hand a squeeze.

"I get being scared; but it looks like fate decided to give you a second chance with Robin," Emma said as the three glanced over at Robin, who was happily playing with his son.

"So, what are you gonna do now?" Snow asked as Regina sighed heavily.

She looked out on the water at the vast sea and thought; was she ready to love again? Did she even deserve love after all she'd done? Did Robin love her? Did he like her the way she liked him? Of course he did; otherwise, he wouldn't have kissed her senseless back on the island. There was still the pressing matter of whether or not she should tell him about the prophecy.

She bit her lower lip and scowled; why did her life have to be so damn complicated? She didn't look up until she heard someone clearing their throat to get her attention. When she turned around Robin, the man she'd just been thinking about was standing in front of her.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked, giving her a lopsided smile.

"It's a free country," Regina said with a shrug as Robin moved to stand beside her. The two stood in relative silence, watching the as the waves crashed against one another.

"I wanted to say thank you, for what you did back there. You saved not only me, but you saved my son as well," Robin said as he casually reached for her hand, giving it a little squeeze.

"Robin, it was nothing and-"

"Please, don't try and downplay the heroics of what you did. It was very brave Regina, and I'm proud of you," Robin said softly as Regina looked at him in surprise.

"You, you are?" Robin chuckled, tilting his head to the side to really get a good look at her. God, she was such a beautiful woman.

"You say that as though no one's ever-"

"No one, except Daniel, ever told me they were proud of me…or that they loved me," Regina said with a sigh as she turned to face the water.

"No one's told you that, not even your parents?" Robin asked out of curiosity.

"My parents weren't…my mother was a very hard woman to live with and my father…he loved me, only when my mother wasn't present," Regina said quietly.

"Well that changes today; you've got yourself an admirer in me as well as my son. Though I do think you're forgetting one very special person, though," Regina looked up at Robin in confusion.

"Who could I be forgetting?"

"Why, Henry of course," Regina glanced at her son and shook her head; he was busy playing with his father while simultaneously listening to his grandfather tell him a story from their land,"

"Henry doesn't need me; he has all he needs right there. Pan was right when he said Henry would abandon me. This wouldn't be the first time it happened and it certainly won't be the last," Regina said with a sigh.

"Surely that can't be true," Robin said as Regina nodded.

"To those people, I'm nothing more than disposable; I'm there when they need me, but when the needing is done…they throw me away again. Trust me, Robin, by the time this is over, I'll be nothing more than the Evil Queen; a woman forced to have dinner with people who will never accept me," She said bitterly.

Robin stood and watched as Regina stared out at the water, a scowl gracing her features. He sighed heavily, glancing back at the rest of the heroes, who seemed so caught up in being united that they had forgotten about Regina.

Sure, she wasn't perfect (you can't be after cursing an entire population), but she sure as hell deserved their gratitude if nothing more. He turned and made his way towards the group, doing his best not to roll his eyes in disgust at them.

"Robin, listen-" Neal began, but Robin stopped him.

"Has anyone thought to thank Regina for what she did back there on the island? Has anyone checked to see if she was okay?" Robin asked, eyeing each individual.

"Robin, Emma and I-" Snow began.

"I hate to interrupt you, your majesty, but you didn't stop to thank her, you stopped her to inquire about her love life," Robin corrected as Hook raised an eyebrow.

"So Regina does have a love life?" Hook tossed Robin a smirk.

"Whether or not she does is none of your business. I'd like to remind you all that you spent most of this trip doubting and belittling her," Robin spoke to the whole group, but his eyes remained on Emma.

"Robin's right; Regina's done a lot of things, but she sacrifices herself each time to save one of us. She did it before when she brought mom and me back through the portal, she did it again when she was gonna sacrifice herself with the crystal. Hell, she went up against Peter Pan; she saved Gold's ass and ours. We should be thanking her, because like it or not, she's family now." Emma said, taking a glance over at Regina, who still stood with her back to the crowd, her eyes focused on the ocean.

"Emma's right; we owe a lot to Regina, and it's time we stopped treating her like a villain and started treating her like the hero she always has been," Snow said as she moved past everyone else to privately speak to Regina.

oOoOo

Young Roland Locksley didn't remember much about being in Neverland. Though the one thing he does remember is how much Henry talked about his family, his two moms in particular. Roland found the idea to be quite fascinating, seeing as he didn't even have one mother. He paid very close attention to when Henry talked about his mom Regina; he really seemed to love her.

To Roland, she was some sort of hero, using her magic to help others; Roland's always had a thing for magic. His papa always told him that magic was no good, that it was bad. But how could magic be bad if it helped his papa live?

"Papa?" Roland gently tugged on his father's pants leg to get his attention. It took a moment but Robin finally noticed his son and picked him up.

"What's up my boy?" Robin looked at his son as though he hung the moon and the stars. In Robin's eyes, he did; he held so much of Marian inside of him that it sometimes hurt him to look at Roland.

"Papa, is magic still a bad thing, even though Regina used it to save you?" It was an innocent enough question, especially coming from a boy his age. Robin couldn't help the predicament he was now. How could he ask Roland to hate the thing that kept him from being an orphan?

"No Roland, not all magic is bad; just some kinds," Robin explained.

"You mean like Regina's?" Roland's grin grew wider at the mention of the woman's name; apparently, she had worked her charms on both Locksley men.

"Yes son, I mean Regina's; her magic is…good. Roland, while her magic is good, it's still dangerous, alright? You have to be careful playing with magic; what have I told you about magic?" Roland huffed in response.

"It always comes with a price," Roland said, rolling his eyes; Robin chuckled and placed a kiss on his son's forehead before placing him back onto the ground.

"That's right, now run along, run along and play," Robin said as he looked around for Regina; he needed to talk to her.

oOoOo

There weren't many things Snow White was nervous about, but this was one of them. She wrung her hands as she made her way towards her (former) stepmother. Regina stood with her back rigid as she stared out at the ocean. Her face was blank, but her eyes spoke volumes; Snow was scared to touch her, for fear that she might spook her.

"Regina?" Snow's voice was soft and trembling as Regina glanced back at her.

"Regina, I wanted to say I'm sorry," Snow said quietly as Regina rolled her eyes, turning her attention back towards the ocean.

"Regina-"

"I don't wanna hear it Snow; you're not doing this for me, you're doing this to clear your conscious. I know how this game goes dear. I do wrong, I save the day and you apologize; when we get back to Storybrooke it'll be back to business as usual. Miss Swan will still have more say over my son than I will even though I raised him. I'll probably be expected to give up my position as mayor and do what, be stuck inside my house forever until the next crisis happens and you heroes need me again? I don't think so; I'm done playing good guy Snow," Regina's expression was hard, but her eyes bore pain and sadness.

"Is that what you really think, Regina? That we'll just throw you away?" Snow shook her head sadly.

"This wouldn't be the first time it's happened; or did you forget what happened when my mother was alive? Did you forget what happened when you and Emma fell through that portal to the Enchanted Forest and I saved you? Did you forget how I walked into that diner and nobody wanted me there? Did you forget how I was falsely accused of killing Archie and how nobody apologized to me for what happened? Did you forget about how Emma took my son to New York and you said she didn't have to run anything by me? Yeah, all of that seems to have slipped your mind," Regina said bitterly.

"You seem to forget all the pain and suffering you caused me," Snow said as Regina whipped her head around.

"The pain and suffering I caused you?" Regina gawked.

"Yes, Regina you killed my father, you tried to kill me!" Snow shouted.

"It's funny that you're still taking up for dear old daddy after I told you everything he did to me. Your memory is fuzzy dear; I never wanted to marry your father, or did you forget the 8 year age difference between you and me? No, you never think about the fact that I was 18 when your father married me, still a child myself! I had no say in my life! You seem to forget how nobody in that kingdom loved me or respected me before I killed your father. You seem to forget how you were hailed fairest of the land when you were really nothing more than a selfish brat! You come to me asking for my forgiveness and then you contradict yourself by talking about how much of a victim you are. You're Snow White, fairest and most beloved princess in the all the land! All of the movies about you paint you as this fair martyred princess whom the poor Evil Queen hated because she was prettier than her. You don't die in the fairy tales, I do! So don't you dare come to me and talk about how bad you've had it, because from where I'm sitting, you've got it far easier than you care to admit," Regina snapped as she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and headed below the deck.

oOoOo

Robin stood off to the side and watched the exchange between Regina and Snow. He shook his head when he saw Regina wiping her eyes before quickly making her way below deck. He didn't say a word to Snow or anyone else when he followed her. He found her hiding in a corner taking deep breaths as she tried to compose herself. He was hesitant to touch her, out of fear that he would startle her. Instead, he quietly called her name as she turned to face him.

"Oh, love…" It was all Robin could say as he moved towards her, gathering the fragile queen into his arms as she let out a shuddering breath.

"I…" Regina helplessly whispered.

"Shh; no talking, just let me hold you," Robin soothed.

As they stood there in the hallway, Regina found it to be comforting. She silently allowed herself a few moments to cry before she pulled back; she was mesmerized by the blue of Robin's eyes.

"What is it, Regina?" He asked with a tender smile on his face.

"I…do you believe in fate, Robin?" Regina asked as Robin nodded.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because…nothing, it's silly and you probably wouldn't believe me anyways," Regina said as she removed herself from his embrace.

"Is this about what Pan said in Neverland, about us being soulmates?" Robin called out to her, forcing her to stop dead in her tracks.

"You, you heard that?" Regina croaked as Robin chuckled.

"I may have been in excruciating pain but, I did hear it. Care to explain to me what that was all about?" Robin asked; there was no animosity in his voice when he spoke.

"Do you remember when I told you how I met Tinkerbell?" Robin nodded, waiting for Regina to continue.

"Well when we met, I was still married to the king and I had just started training with Rumple. She tried to convince me that I needed to find love again but I wasn't ready," Regina said quietly.

"Then what happened?"

"Tinkerbell stole some pixie dust from the Blue Fairy; stupid girl, she was determined to help me. She stole the pixie dust and convinced me to follow it, so I did. It led me to a tavern; when you follow pixie dust it leads you to your soulmate. My soulmate was a man, obviously; I didn't see his face but…I did see his tattoo," Regina said as she stared into Robin's eyes.

"What kind of tattoo did he have?" Robin gulped, already knowing the answer.

"A Lion tattoo," Regina whispered tearfully.

"I always wondered about that night," Robin murmured as Regina's eyes widened.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Robin shook his head and moved closer to her.

"That night, I was in the pub drinking with my mates when the strangest feeling came over me. I never knew what it was; Little John said I was glowing but, I thought he was just drunk from too much ale. The man can chug down quite a bit of ale," Robin said with a laugh, causing Regina to let out a watery laugh as well.

"Then what happened?" She licked her lip as Robin moved closer.

"We heard the door to the pub swing open, someone was obviously coming in. Alan said he saw a beautiful woman come in, dressed in white but, she left so fast he didn't get a good look at her," Regina was in full blown tears at that point; Robin was standing in front of her.

"That was me, I was the woman who came into the pub," She murmured.

"Why didn't you come in?" Robin wondered as he gently caressed her face.

"I was scared; Rumple and my mother had convinced me that love was weakness and the darkness was all I had," she confessed as Robin's hands moved into her hair.

"Sometimes, things aren't meant to happen right then; if we'd met, you wouldn't have your Henry and I wouldn't have my Roland," Robin said as Regina nodded.

"Robin, I don't want this to change-"

"It doesn't change how I feel about you Regina; in fact, it just makes what I'm feeling okay. I thought it strange that I found myself immediately captivated by you the moment we met," Robin said as Regina let out a snort.

"Liar, you thought I was just some obnoxious royal," Regina quipped as Robin chuckled, pulling her closer to him.

"This is true, but I while I found you bold and audacious, I also found your strength, the regal way you carry yourself to be as beautiful as you are," Robin had backed them into a nearby wall of the ship, their bodies pressed close together.

"You, you think I'm beautiful?" Regina stared at Robin as though he were a marvel, a wonderful sight to behold.

"You milady are stunning; stunning in every way," Robin said before he crashed his lips against Regina's, their bodies molding together as one.

Their hands touched and caressed one another as their tongues explored the many ways they could make one another moan. They pulled back after several moments of heated touching and petting. Regina glanced around before her eyes settled on a particular spot as she took Robin's hand.

"Are you sure? We don't have to do anything you don't-"

"I'd rather not get caught by my son or any other prying eyes while I kiss you and, whatever else may happen," She said suggestively as she bit her lip.

"Well then, lead the way, your majesty" Robin smirked as they quietly made their way into the captain's quarters.

 _Chapter 12 to follow…_

 **I'm such a tease, aren't I? You'll have to wait until chapter 13 to see what may or may not happen between Robin and Regina. Coming up in Chapter 12, we're gonna go back in time and meet Zelena. Due to some storyline changes, we'll be between realms for a bit before we finally head into the Missing Year. If you're craving my other OUAT fics, I'm placing everything on a temporary hiatus until I can commit myself to finishing this fic. I owe you all consistency for sticking with me for so long.**

 **Leave me some reviews, they're totally lovely (:**

 **Xx**


	13. Chapter 11

**I apologize for the long wait, my lovely readers. Real life has gotten in the way. In this chapter we're meeting Zelena and her background is extremely different. There is mention of the Wizard in this story. Though his role in this chapter is brief, you can think of him as being like Jean-Claude Frollo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Dorothy and Glenda the good witch are mentioned as well.**

* * *

 _Oz, Many Years Ago..._

The sky crackled and rumbled as flashes of green lightning scattered across the sky. The sky became dark as night as the wind picked up, sending anything that wasn't nailed down into the air. In a nearby castle, the Wizard of Oz stood and watched the destruction from his balcony window.

"John, what is that?" His wife Laura asked as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Magic is coming to Oz; very powerful magic," The Wizard said as he closed his eyes.

He could feel the magic sweeping through the realm as the clouds formed into a funnel, a green funnel to be exact. The wind continued to pick up, causing a howling sound to fill the air. John and his wife were forced to close their window and take cover elsewhere due to the severity of the storm. The next morning, the city of Oz was in ruins; houses were destroyed as well as many buildings and other infrastructure. Many citizens of Oz had died along with livestock; the Wizard and his wife remained safe in the confines of their castle, which ironically received no damage.

The fact that his castle remained unharmed caused many of the citizens to believe that the Wizard was behind the dastardly storm that plagued the city. The Wizard, however, remained unphased by the accusations raised against him. No one dared try and confront him publicly, lest they fear being executed. While everyone else proceeded to try and clean up the damage last night's storm left behind, the Wizard ordered his guards to find the origin of the storm. What he wasn't expecting, was for his guards to bring him a small wicker basket that contained a crying child.

"She caused this?" The Wizard said as picked the babe up from her makeshift bed.

"We believe so; she was found inside of what appeared to be a house, a very strange looking house," one of the servants said.

"Was the house destroyed?"

"Yes; she was the only thing in the entire area that was untouched," the guard said as the Wizard stared at the baby in wonder.

"I knew there was something great happening last night, and this babe just proved it. Where are her parents?"

"We searched everywhere but found none," The guard said as the Wizard looked at the baby who began to cry.

The wizard watched as the young babe scrunched up her nose and wailed before a bottle emerged out of green smoke.

"Fascinating; I shall call her Zelena," The Wizard said as he looked down at the young child with a sense of pride as well as an unrecognizable look.

17 Years Later

Zelena was miserable; her father was the Wizard, a cold, heartless man who ruled Oz. The only thing that kept him from being as ruthless as he was now was his wife Laura. Sadly, she'd died some 6 months before. Her death allowed his true colors to show, which was a pity for not only the residents of Oz but for young Zelena as well. She'd always known she was a magical being, though her mother forbade her from using her powers. Now she understood why; her father was more interested in harnessing her powers to control the people of Oz than he actually cared about her.

He made sure to let her know that it was her magic that saved her all those years ago when they found her. Apparently, she'd been dumped, or rather sent there through a magical portal. The house she'd come to Oz in was destroyed, no sign of her parents, no other forms of life besides her. Her father had never said these things while her mother was alive, but now that she was dead, he made sure to remind Zelena of just who she was. Today, her father has been using her to fool the people of Oz. He's convinced them that there is a higher source of power besides him. 'The True Wizard' he tells the people; they're so gullible Zelena thinks to herself. Today, she's listening to a timid girl named Dorothy Gale from some place called Kansas.

"Please Wizard, could you help me get home?" Zelena can see her; she looks otherworldly. She's in a blue and white dress that doesn't quite come to her knees. Her hair is in two pigtails with red little bows.

"Ask her for her red slippers," Her father commands; he always stands behind her, coaching her in what to say to the people, in what she should collect from them.

"Please, Wizard? I really need to get home to Aunty Em," Dorothy says as Zelena sighs.

"Zelena-"

"I know!" She hisses back at her father; that sass earns her a sharp tug on her hair, letting her know that another lashing is coming once this is over.

"You say you want to go home eh? What about the others with you?" Zelena's voice sounds distinctly different to Dorothy. To the young woman, the Wizard is an old man with a booming voice.

"W-well, the scarecrow needs a brain, the Lion needs courage, and, and the tin man needs a heart," Dorothy's voice is trembling as she speaks.

"What do you have for me?" The Wizard (Zelena) asks.

"I-I don't know; what do you want from me? I'll give you anything you want, I promise! Just help me get back home, and give my friends what they need,"

"Your ruby slippers give them to me," Zelena commands.

"B-but Glenda, she said-"

"Do you want to get home or not?" Zelena asks; her father is standing entirely too close to her body, his lower regions grazing her butt as he peers from behind the curtain. Dorothy looks torn between going home and giving up her slippers.

"Why do you need my slippers?" Zelena looks back at her father for direction.

"Tell her that the slippers will open a portal to get her home," he whispers.

"The slippers will open a portal to get you home," Zelena watches as Dorothy's eyes light up and she begins to toe off the shoes.

"Dorothy, stop!" Zelena feels the shift of magic in the air. Someone here has light magic.

"Who dares interrupt the Wizard?" Zelena's voice bellows. Through the small slit in the curtain, Zelena can see a woman with Blonde hair dressed in White coming towards them.

"Dorothy, there is no real Wizard, only an evil man and his daughter," The woman says as Dorothy stares at the curtain.

"B-but Glenda, I followed the Yellow Brick road and-" Glenda smiles at Dorothy and sighs.

"Oh dear child, if you let this Wizard help you, you'll lose the slippers. He was right, they will open a portal that can take you home. All you have to do is click your heels three times," Glenda says.

The Wizard has had enough and rips through the curtain. Dorothy is shocked to see Zelena standing there.

"What a crook!" The Lion shouts as Dorothy continues to stare at Zelena.

"You, I remember you! You were the one who told me to follow the Yellow Brick Road! You, you tricked me!" Dorothy shouts at Zelena.

"And we would've fooled you if this wench hadn't stepped in!" The Wizard snarled as he shoved Zelena to the floor and marched towards Glenda.

"Don't come any closer John!" Glenda holds her hands out, ready to blast him.

The Wizard doesn't listen and instead calls upon his magic to try and attack Dorothy. Glenda is faster than him and conjures her light magic. There is an explosion of white as the room shakes from the use of magic. Zelena and Dorothy are knocked to the ground; by the time the blast of magic clears, The Wizard is lying on the ground completely lifeless as Zelena rushed towards him.

"Father! What have you done!?" She may hate him, but she never wanted things to end like this.

Zelena is cradling her father's body in her arms as tears fall down her cheeks. She is seething with anger, so much anger that her hands begin to turn green.

"I have spared you a life of pain and misery had he lived," Glenda tells her, but Zelena doesn't believe it.

Nothing can be more painful than what she's feeling in this moment. She is alone in the world; her birth parents didn't want her. They weren't even kind enough to send her to an orphanage. Instead, they sent her to this terrible place. Glenda sighs and shakes her head before leaving with Dorothy.

1 Year Ago

"Impossible! There's just no way!" Zelena is storming her castle in a fury.

Glenda stands off to the side watching the Green skinned woman. She sometimes wonders if there was something she could have done to help her all those years ago. She's here in an attempt to save her from utter destruction. The people of Oz have been talking of dethroning Zelena for quite some time now. It seems that that plan is in full effect thanks to the return of Dorothy Gale. If the people of Oz don't destroy her, someone else will.

"It's true; Zelena that's why I'm here if you don't change-" Glenda begins, though Zelena has placed her into a magical chokehold.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't ruin your miserable life? It was you who got me into this mess all those years when you ruined the farce my father and I had going. Dorothy Gale wouldn't be a problem if you hadn't let her live!" Glenda is gasping for air as her eyes begin to bulge out of her head.

"Zelena, please," Glenda croaks out.

"Please? I don't think so. Unless you can tell me-"

"There is someone greater than Dorothy who is set to defeat you," Glenda manages.

Zelena drops her hold, allowing Glenda to take in several large gulps of air. She leans against a wall, holding a hand to her chest as Zelena waits for her to start talking.

"Long ago, there was a prophecy foretelling of your death by another witch, a powerful witch. There will be a great battle between the two of you in which you will lose," Zelena's jaw is clenched as she listens to Glenda's prophesy.

"And exactly who is this witch?" Zelena asks.

"The Evil Queen," Zelena grins evilly before sauntering over to her mirror.

"Well, I'll just have to kill her first then, won't I?"

The Enchanted Forest-Present

She hates the smell of the forest, it's sickening. She hates the smell of pine, dirt, and grass that fills the air. She's standing in the middle of the Merry Men's camp with a dozen of arrows aimed right at her chest.

"Do you really think your pesky sticks are enough to stop me?" Zelena laughs before disarming the men with a wave of her hand.

"The Queen, where is she?" Zelena snarls as the men look between one another in confusion.

"Y-you mean the Evil Queen?" Little John is the first to speak.

"The one and only, where can I find her?" Zelena is standing there with her hands on her hips as the men burst into laughter.

"Oye, if anyone knew where she was, she'd be dead already!" Little John and the other Merry Men are doubled over in laughter.

"What do you mean? Where the hell is she?" Alan-a-Dale is quick to point out that,

"No one's seen hide of the Queen since she cast the Dark Curse,"

"Surely someone's heard something! There's no way she just disappeared without a trace!" Friar Tuck seems to be the most useful as he steps forward and begins to explain the Dark Curse.

"So you're telling me that Rumplestiltskin's son was here recently? Where did he go?" Zelena has the balding priest against a tree in an attempt to get answers.

"He said he planned on getting back to his family, back in the Land Without Magic," Little John and the others are pleading with her not to kill Friar Tuck. She eventually drops him onto the ground where the others help him to his feet.

"From this moment on, you people work for me. You report anything you see or hear directly to me. Since the Queen no longer resides here, I'm now your queen; is that understood?" Zelena cackles at the sight of the Merry Men quivering in her sight. With that, she transports herself to Rumplestiltskin's castle in search of a way to get to The Land Without Magic.

She will destroy the Queen…if it is the last thing she does.

 _Chapter 15 to follow…_

* * *

 **Eh, I'm not a fan of this chapter but I decided to post it anyway. I feel like you all have waited far too long for an update on this story. I hope that this chapter makes sense; I feel like it will once we get to the next chapter. Tell me, what did you think of Zelena's background so far? I've revamped a few things in terms of this story so I'm trying to work out the logistics of a couple of things. I plan on working on the next chapter of this story ASAP.**

 **Take Care,**

 **Xx**


	14. Chapter 12

**Hi guys!**

 **I'm so sorry that updates for this story have slacked. I'm a senior in college and I'm interning and I work so that stuff takes precedence. I also want to apologize if you were following some of my fics that are no longer available. I get in these moods where I delete fics, revamp them and then repost them. Also, I'm working on several Outlaw Queen AUs based on some of my favorite movies. I have about 18 OUAT fics that are either on hiatus, WIPs or are unpublished. Anywho, I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter of this story. I wasn't so crazy about it, but I felt like I owed it to you guys to post it. This next chapter will pick up in Neverland where we last saw Robin and Regina in a corner of Hook's ship making out.**

 **I won't leave you hanging anymore, enjoy lovelies.**

 **Xx**

* * *

Neverland:

They didn't do anything unless you count their heated kissing, frantic groping, and dry humping like two horny teenagers. For the most part, they lie in one another's arms, sharing stories of their pasts.

"What happens now?" Robin asks, his fingers are weaved into Regina's hair, gently massaging her scalp.

"You go back to the Enchanted Forest and I go back to Storybrooke with my son," Robin blinks suddenly.

"Surely this means something to you, does it not?"

"It does but, I can't…I don't expect you to give up your life for me Robin," Regina ducks her head, keeping her eyes focused on the sheets.

"Regina, you're not asking me to do anything. My feelings for you are very real, and I'd quite like to see where this goes, yeah?"

"Robin…what about the Merry Men? What about Roland? This new world is far different than what you're used to," Robin gives Regina a lazy smile as he leans forward to kiss her.

"Regina, I want nothing more than to explore this Storybrooke with you while I get to know your son and woo you properly," Regina grins against his mouth as they fall into a comfortable silence.

"Somehow I don't see that going over well with your Merry Men. They don't know this new me, remember?"

"That's true, but I bet you if-"

"Robin, no," Regina sits up, righting her blouse that had somehow gone askew during their make out session.

"Regina-"

"I can't go back to The Enchanted Forest and I can't ask you to try and convince anyone that I've changed," Robin sighs as he too stands up from the bed.

"You stubborn, beautiful woman; you won't let anyone help you,"

"Robin, I have so much going on in my life right now. There's no telling how things will be when we go back to Storybrooke. I may very well be fighting Emma _and Neal_ for custody of Henry. I also may be in jail when I return for trying to destroy the town. You've seen how those heroes treat me," Regina hangs her head sadly as Robin reaches out to cup her cheek.

"You and Rumpelstiltskin are the very reason they're even alive,"

"That doesn't matter to them; I'm disposable,"

"Well you're not to me,"

"Robin, you have to go back to The Enchanted Forest so that your men will know you and Roland are alive. Besides, I'm not sure how time works now that my curse is broken,"

"So that's it, we just-"

"It was nice while it lasted," Regina leans in to give him one final kiss before leaving Hook's sleeping quarters.

oOoOo

"Well, don't you look…refreshed," Regina looks up at the sight of Hook staring at her with a knowing grin.

"Wipe that look off your face pirate, nothing happened between Robin and I and nothing ever will," Regina wraps her arms around herself protectively.

"You know, I felt that same way, that I could never find love again after Milah,"

"And I assume Emma's changed that?"

"You could say she's, opened me up to the possibility of loving again,"

"Well, at least one villain gets a happy ending," Regina sighs as Hook reaches out to touch her arm.

"You could have one too, your majesty; I've seen the way he looks at you. He's beyond smitten, I'd say old Robin Hood has fallen in love with the Evil Queen,"

"And that is why nothing can ever happen between us," Regina sighs, keeping her eyes focused on the ocean.

"Did you forget who I am? I'm Captain Hook; if Rumpelstiltskin can fall in love again and he's worse than both you and I combined…don't let the opportunity slip away lass," With that, Hook turns his attention elsewhere, leaving Regina alone with her thoughts.

The Enchanted Forest

There is a rustling in the trees as little John makes his way towards Rumpelstiltskin's castle. After what he'd just seen, there was no way he wasn't telling The Wicked Witch. He's breathless as he bursts through the castle doors, causing Zelena to glower at him.

"This had better be good tubby, or else you'll be shedding quite a few pounds when I turn you into a flying monkey," Little John is doubled over, trying to catch his breath as Zelena begins to grow irate.

"I saw, I saw a ship and…The Queen was on it," Zelena's eyes brighten at the mention of the Queen.

"Well, where is it?!"

"Gone…" Little John pants and oh, why did he say that?

"What do you mean it's gone? A ship with the Evil Queen doesn't just vanish into thin air!"

"Apparently, the Queen's son was trapped in Neverland with Robin's son and they gave him a lift back home," Zelena stares at Little John blankly before using her magic to throw him across the room.

"I do not have time for games!" Zelena bellowed as she took long strides to reach him.

"Not, not a game; Robin's back I swear!" Little John is a large, burly man, but even he is afraid of the Wicked Witch.

"If that thief's been with Regina…then maybe he can tell me how to get to her…" Zelena grins wickedly before turning on her heel and heading out of the castle's front door.

"It looks like I've got myself a date with the Prince of Thieves," Zelena laughs wickedly before disappearing into a cloud of Green smoke.

oOoOo

Regina sighed heavily as she watched what was left Snow White and Prince Charming's castle come into view.

"Regina?" She didn't need to look back to realize who was talking to her.

"Go away Snow," Snow White shook her head slowly as she moved to stand next to her stepmother.

"Robin and Roland will be getting off the ship soon, don't you wanna say goodbye?"

"No; saying goodbye will only make it hurt worse," Regina reaches up to wipe away a stray tear.

"You care about him,"

"I think, I think I might be falling in love with him; I know its sudden but, I've known Robin for-"

"Tinkerbell told us the story, I hope you don't mind?" Regina rolls her eyes and glares, sighing heavily.

"Of course she did; that stupid fairy still hasn't learned to keep her goddamn mouth shut,"

"Regina, can I ask why-"

"Did I run?" Snow nods; Regina's finally turned to face her.

"I was scared; I didn't think I could've found happiness. Besides, I would've ruined Robin or gotten him killed or did you not remember I was married to your father, The King, at that time,"

"Touche, but Regina now-"

"I'm too broken to love Snow, and I'm pretty sure the people of Storybrooke won't be too pleased to know that Robin Hood is my boyfriend,"

"What about Henry? Henry taught you how to love again,"

"Until he found out I was the Evil Queen; do you know, the night he found Emma that he said he'd found his 'real mom'."

"Regina, Henry's only 11." Snow chides.

"Emma came to town and broke her closed adoption agreement but you and Charming said that she didn't have to run anything by me. From the minute Emma stepped into this town Henry has lied, stolen, skipped school and gotten himself into more danger than before, but I'm the villain and she's the hero. Now I've got Neal to compete with; Henry doesn't want me, Snow,"

"I think he thinks otherwise," Snow said, pointing to Henry who stood with an expression of hurt written on his face.

"You don't think I love you?" Henry whispered, causing Regina's heart to break.

"Henry, I-"

"I didn't mean all those things, it was just that, the curse and my book and-"

"Was right; I was all of those things, Henry,"

"But it was because of Cora, I saw it with my own eyes. You didn't wanna be a bad guy and I know that now,"

"But Emma and your dad-"

"Emma's my birthmother, you're my mom," Henry said as he ran towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'm so sorry Henry, for everything; can you ever forgive me?"

"You're my mom, I'm always gonna forgive you; do you forgive me for the way I acted?" Regina grins down at him, reaching out to tap his nose.

"You're my little prince; I'll always forgive you."

"Good, now that we've gotten that out of the way, mom you can't let Robin leave!" Regina groans, glancing over at Snow who shrugs her shoulders with a smirk.

"Henry, not you too!"

"Mom, Tinkerbell said-"

"I know what Tinkerbell said, but it's more complicated than that. Robin belongs in the Enchanted Forest with his Merry Men."

"We could bring them back too!"

"I doubt they'd be willing to get on a ship with the Evil Queen and go to the Land Without Magic. I cursed everyone there, remember?"

"But you're different now and-"

"Henry, let it go, okay? Please honey, just let it go." Henry sighed heavily but agreed.

oOoOo

Little Roland Locksley grinned with glee as he watched Hook's ship make its way out of the sky and onto the Enchanted Forest floor.

"We're home Papa! We're home, we're home!" Roland ran up to his father, who immediately scooped him into his arms, his grin just as large.

"We are home, aren't we?" Roland nods his head, though his eyes are glued on Regina and Henry.

"Papa, where do Henry and Regina live?"

"They live in a realm called Storybrooke; there's no magic there, can you believe that?" Roland's eyes widen with shock.

"No magic at all?"

"None whatsoever,"

"Papa, we should get them to come home with us!"

"I'm afraid we can't son; I've tried that already and Regina said no,"

"But why? I like Henry and you like Regina. They can come back to camp with us!"

"It's not that simple my boy; you see, Regina is the Mayor of Storybrooke so she has to go back," Roland scrunches up his face in adorable confusion.

"What's a Mayor Papa?"

"Well, it's kind of like being a queen; did you know that Regina used to be the Queen here in the Enchanted Forest a long time ago?"

"Really!?" Robin can't help but chuckle at how cute his son is.

"Yes, really; there she is, you can ask her yourself." Roland jumps out of his father's arms just as Regina and Henry walk towards them.

"Regina! Papa said you're a queen in, in…Papa, where does Regina live again?"

"Storybrooke son,"

"Right, in Storybrooke; is it true there's no magic there?" Henry grins at Roland.

"There's magic in Storybrooke, but not anywhere else."

"Ohh; Papa said you used to be the Queen here in the 'Chanted Forest," Regina smiles at Roland, reaching out to tap his nose like she'd done Henry earlier.

"I was, but I wasn't a very good queen Roland,"

"You weren't?"

"No; I was a bad queen. Some people even called me The Evil Queen."

"But that's silly; you're not evil, you saved Papa and Henry!" Regina can't help but smile at Roland's four-year-old-logic.

"I did, didn't I?"

"Uh huh; did you say you were sorry for being a bad queen?" Regina loves the way Roland stands in front of her, rocking on his heels from side to side waiting for an answer.

"I apologized to some people but not everybody,"

"Why not everybody?"

"Because some people wouldn't wanna forgive me, even if I do a whole lot of good,"

"But that's silly; Papa said if you say you're sorry then everything's good again," Regina spares a glance at Robin who looks just as pained as she does about saying goodbye.

"You're Papa's a very smart man Roland," Roland looks back at his father and grins.

"Come along son, we've got to get back to camp to make sure Little John hasn't eaten all of the food from us. Say goodbye to Regina and Henry," Roland's mood becomes sullen as he has to say goodbye; he holds on to Regina really tight and whispers,

"My Papa really likes you; he said you're very pretty," Regina barely chokes back a sob as she presses a kiss to Roland's cheek.

"You be a good boy for your papa, okay?"

"Promise,"

oOo

Then comes the hard part; everyone gives Regina and Robin a few moments of space, taking Roland over to the other side of the ship where Hook gives him one final steering lesson.

"Regina, I-"

"Shh, I know," She whispers, willing herself not to fall apart in his arms.

"I still wish-"

"Robin, I told you-"

"I know, and I understand; doesn't mean I like it but, I respect your wishes," Robin leans in close and presses a soft, final, kiss to her lips that she quickly turns into something more.

Robin is shocked for a moment, but he reciprocates the kiss. It's definitely kid friendly but there's an underlying passion there that expresses everything they wanted to say. Regina is the first to pull away, resting their foreheads against one another.

"Someday, I will convince you that you are more than enough. I can't give up on us, not when there's this," Robin murmurs.

"Don't push your luck, thief" Regina mutters back before pressing one final kiss to his lips.

"Come along Roland; thank you all, thank you so much for helping me find my son," Neal walks up to him and shakes his hand.

"Robin, I'm sorry I got you into this mess," Robin smiles, though he's looking at Regina when he speaks.

"While I hate that Roland ended up in Neverland, I don't regret the new friends I made along the way. I don't regret helping people find love and find their families. Love and family are the most important thing in the world; without both those things, you've got nothing." Robin spares Regina one final glance before carrying his son off of the boat and into the Enchanted Forest. He and Roland stand and wave goodbye as they watch Hook's ship disappear into the sky.

 _Chapter 16 to follow…_

* * *

 **Aww! I know that was a sad way to end the chapter, but I have things planned you guys, you'll see. They won't be parted long, but how they're reunited, I don't know if you guys are gonna like that. But please do keep reading and I'll try and get this thing updated on a regular basis, I promise!**


	15. Chapter 13

**Yay for over 100 followers!**

 **Yay for The Evil Queen!**

 **Yay for Robin Hood/Sean Maguire's return!**

 **I initially felt bad because I thought MWTLT was my only OUAT fic in progress, but then I remembered that I'm working on 'A Tale of Two Sisters'** _ **and**_ **I've still got my 'New Definition of Love: One Shot' series. A Tale of Two Sisters will be wrapped up in no less than 5 chapters, so if you start to feel lonely after that, you can always PM me here or shoot me an ask over on Tumblr (I'm theworldaccordingtodee) and give me a prompt for one of the following ships and I shall do my best to write one for you:**

 **Outlaw Queen**

 **Stable Queen**

 **Regal Believer**

 **Dimples Queen**

 **Baby Robin/Baby Girl Locksley/Baby Peanut**

 **Regal Peanut**

 **Outlaw Peanut**

 **SwanQueen/Snow Queen BroTP**

 **Dragon Queen**

 **Charming Mills/Swan Mills/Hood Mills family**

 **I would take romantic Swan Queen and Dragon Outlaw Queen prompts but I'm not confident writing sex for those ships just yet.**

 **Anywho, I hope you all enjoy the next chapter, there may be some goodness for you at the end after I left you all frustrated with Regina in chapter 13…which was really chapter 15.**

* * *

The Enchanted Forest:

Robin stood at the water's edge with Roland hoisted on his hip as they waved goodbye to everyone aboard the Jolly Rodger. He could not lie and say that his heart wasn't a bit heavy at the prospect of never seeing Regina again. But he respected her wishes; he just wished, ironically, that she could see herself the way he saw her. True enough, he may have never encountered her during her reign as queen, but he saw the woman she was now. He'd heard the stories from her first hand of how she'd fought against the darkness. He had also seen said fights against the darkness with his own eyes. He couldn't' say that he loved her, not just yet, but his feelings for her were very real and were extremely strong. He's drawn out of his thoughts at Roland tugging at his shirt.

"I'm sorry son, what did you say?"

"I said what are you thinking about Papa?" Robin gives his boy an easy smile and replies,

"I'm thinking about Regina,"

"Oh. Do you miss her papa?"

"I most certainly do my boy; now, how about we get back to camp, hmm? I'm certain that the Merry Men have been a group of completely lost blokes since I've been gone," Robin hoists Roland onto his shoulders as the two make their way back to Sherwood Forest.

oOo

Regina stood silently in a far corner of the Jolly Rodger, doing her best to keep her emotions at bay. She didn't want to leave Robin behind, but she knew that she couldn't drag both he and Roland into her already messy life back in Storybrooke. Also, she knew that with all she'd done, there were people out there who desired to see her happiness ruined. She cared too deeply about Robin and his son to jeopardize their safety.

"Regina, are you alright?" She turned around to see Emma walking towards her.

"Go away Emma, I'm fine; I always am,"

"Listen, I know that you're upset about Robin, but-"

"No, you don't Emma, you've got two men vying for your attention while I just had to say goodbye to the one man who actually…you don't get my pain Emma," Emma sighed heavily as she moved to stand beside Regina.

"You're right; I don't understand but Regina, you're good now. You'll find your happiness, I promise,"

"Am I good, Emma? Because we just spent the last two weeks in Neverland where you did nothing but spout off ridiculous claims about being the leader and how I shouldn't be trusted and how I was nothing more than an Evil Queen who would never change,"

"Being in Neverland was, it was hard for me Regina. This whole experience hasn't been a cakewalk for me. I mean, I just found out that my parents are Snow White and Prince Charming. I didn't grow up in the Enchanted Forest; I grew up in the real world where magic wasn't a possibility once you were past 10. This isn't easy for me and I lashed out because, it was easier to point the blame at you when really, I'm angry at my parents, I'm angry at Neal and, for the first time in my life, I have a family, I've got a home and that, it scares me, Regina," Regina sighed heavily as she turned to look at Emma with a sad smile.

"You may not have grown up in the Enchanted Forest with your parents, but you were destined to be the savior Emma, you were born with a guaranteed happy ending. All you had to do was find it, and you have. I didn't grow up with that luxury, so, me having hope is hard,"

"Is that why you told Robin not to come back with you?"

"I told Robin not to come back with me to protect him,"

"From what exactly?"

"From people who may not think I'm deserving of a happy ending just yet. Plus, my life's already complicated enough with having to work out whether or not I've earned enough good graces with you and your family to even see Henry. Plus, let's not forget that Greg was in Storybrooke because I killed his father all those years ago,"

"Regina, you don't need any good will with me or my family to see Henry,"

"Are you sure? Because when you took him and went traipsing off to New York to help Gold find Neal-"

"We owe you an apology for that; you were right when you said that legally, I have no rights to Henry. But Regina, I'm here now and keeping me and Neal away from Henry would-"

"I know Emma, I know,"

"Hey, Henry loves you y'know,"

"Do I? Because the things he said, the way he treated me…"

"Regina, he's 11, kids his age aren't exactly rational,"

"True," Regina said with a smile.

"So, how about this; when we get back to Storybrooke, Henry stays with you? It'll be like a custody arrangement. You get primary physical custody while Neal and I see him through the week and have him every other weekend,"

"But Henry's mine?" Emma smiles at the hopefulness she sees in Regina's eyes.

"Yeah, he's yours,"

"Thank you, Emma,"

"We might as well get used to one another, right?"

"Yeah," Regina nods slowly as a small smile spreads across her face.

Maybe things were starting to look up after all…

oOo

Little John hates the bloody Wicked Witch, he hates her almost as much as he hates the Evil Queen. At least with the queen, he was still able to do as he pleased; this lass had completely taken over his entire life. It was his job to report back any suspicious activities to the witch and that meant patrolling the forest. As loathe as he was to admit it, he missed the queen, and quite sorely. At least with her as long as you didn't help Snow White, you were nothing more than a blip on her radar. Little John looked up at the sound of a rustling in the bushes nearby. His brow furrowed when he heard the sounds of familiar laughter. No, it couldn't be, he thought to himself. As the sounds grew closer, John carefully set his bow and arrow, ready to attack whoever was coming into the woods.

"Show yerself mate," Little John's voice bellowed into the open as he got the shock of his life.

"Stand down Little John, it's only Roland and I," The sight of his longtime friend and leader caused Little John to drop his bow and arrow as he enveloped Robin and Roland into a hug.

"Uncle John, I can't breathe," Roland muttered as he set them on the ground.

"Oy! I thought-"

"Yeah, well I thought the same thing for a while but, turns out we weren't the only ones in Neverland," Robin said with a laugh.

"Robin, not that I'm not glad to see ya, which I am, but how-"

"Neal, do you remember him?"

"The Dark One's son?"

"I remember him; I could strangle em for using Roland to-"

"I wouldn't be so quick to strangle him; he found his son and in turn, gave Roland and I a lift back here to the Enchanted Forest,"

"So he was able to-"

"It's a long and very complicated story but yes, Neal found his family,"

"Good, so where-"

"They've all gone back to Storybrooke, where the Reg…I mean, the Queen sent them during the curse," Little John looked at Robin strangely.

"Since when did you get on the first name basis with the Evil Queen?"

"Regina's not evil Uncle John, she saved me!" Roland quipped.

"You don't know what yer talking about lad,"

"It's true, tell him, papa!"

"Actually…she did,"

"You're telling me that the Evil Queen-"

"Her name is Regina," Roland corrected him.

"Right; you're telling me that Regina saved Roland?"

"She did, she saved my life as well," Robin admitted as John let out a bellyful laugh.

"I just…there's no way I can believe it. You can't be talking about the same woman who tried to kill Snow White. There's no way!" John laughed as Roland grew upset.

"Yes, she did! She saved me and she saved papa, they even kissed!" Roland shouted as Little John's eyes went wide with shock as Robin tried to shush his son.

"You kissed her!? What kind of spell does she have you under mate!?"

"There's no spell John; like I told you, it's quite the complicated tale but, Regina's changed," Robin said as Little John stared at him in disbelief.

"Robin, you're my oldest friend and you're my leader…but I have a right to question you on this because we both know who the queen was before she sent everyone away,"

"Do you remember the night in the tavern all those years ago when Alan saw that woman dressed in white come into the tavern but she ran away?"

"Robin…"

"No, no, go with me John; do you remember when you said I was glowing?"

"Vaguely, why?"

"What if I told you that I was glowing, with magic?"

"I'd say that's the most convoluted story I've ever heard," Little John said as Robin rolled his eyes.

"Well, do you at least remember the woman Alan kept going on about?"

"I remember her, what about her?"

"That was Regina,"

"Robin, come off it, there's no way-"

"Her life with the king wasn't easy; did you know she was only 18 when he married her and she'd never…been intimate with a man before that?" Robin asked, glancing back at Roland to make sure he was distracted and not listening to what they were saying.

"I heard rumors about that but-"

"She didn't want to marry the king; she only did so at his behest as a reward for saving Snow White's life and because her mother accepted the proposal for her,"

"Saving Snow White?"

"Surely you remember the tale about young Snow White being saved from her runaway horse during an outing with the king?"

"The Evil…sorry, Regina saved her?"

"Uh huh,"

"But that still doesn't explain why she-"

"It's not my story to tell but, she never wanted the life she had John. I saw her, and she is nothing like the stories passed down to us. If you don't take my word for it, take the word of Snow White and Prince Charming,"

"Snow White and Prince-"

"Neal's son Henry is not only the grandson of the Dark One, but he's also the grandson of Snow White and Prince Charming,"

"Okay, but why was-"

"I told you it's a complicated and seemingly convoluted story but, after Regina sent everyone to the Land Without Magic, her curse was broken 28 years later by the savior, just as prophesized. However during that time, Regina adopted a child…who just so happened to be Snow White and Prince Charming's grandson, Henry,"

"…You're right, that story does seem convoluted the more you explain it."

"I know it does John but, I'm not lying to you,"

"I didn't say you were lying, Robin,"

"But you don't believe me,"

"Can you blame me? I mean, all I know is the E…the woman who ruled the Enchanted Forest. You may have gotten to know…Regina, but I don't know that person. So while I believe you, I don't trust the Queen. If she saved you and Roland like you say she did then I'm thankful, but that doesn't mean I can so easily forget all she's done,"

"Snow White has,"

"Snow White's always been trusting of people, even when she shouldn't be," Little John said before walking off in the opposite direction.

oOoOo

Regina felt a sense of apprehension as Storybrooke came into view over the clouds. She glanced around at the excited faces of everyone else as the ship began to carefully drift into the harbor. Everyone seemed happy to be back, except for her, which wasn't surprising. Maybe she should have taken Robin up on his offer to stay in the Enchanted Forest with him. No, if she had she'd lose Henry. Plus, going back to the Enchanted Forest was much more of a gamble than being in Storybrooke. As everyone else raced off of the ship and into the crowd of welcoming citizens, Regina lingered on the boat, making herself to last to exit.

"…And we owe it all to her," she heard Snow say as the citizens of Storybrooke focused their attention on her.

"You expect us to believe that when she's the reason you all ended up there in the first place?" Grumpy shouted as other murmured in agreement.

"We ended up in Neverland because of a long-standing agreement Rumplestiltskin made," Snow corrected.

"That doesn't make it any better," Dr. Whale said as others agreed.

"We know that you like to see the good in others Snow but…Regina has done a lot to us and it's high time she pay for those crimes," The Blue fairy said as others cheered.

"If I may Snow, Blue, weren't you the one who didn't want me to help Regina find love again?" Tinkerbell said as she emerged from the crowd of heroes.

"Green, what are you-"

"My name is Tinkerbell and I ended up in Neverland after you clipped my wings," Tink stood defiantly in front of Blue as the crowd murmured in shock.

"I told you why I couldn't let you help her, she-"

"You didn't want me to help her because of who her mother was. You prejudged her before you even got to know her,"

"Well I was right, wasn't I? Look who she became," Blue said as she tossed Regina dejected look.

"Tink, let it go; some people will never see that I'm trying, no matter what I do," Regina said with a shake of her head.

"And just what have you done your majesty?" Blue challenged.

"It doesn't matter to you because it'll never be enough to you. I could sit here and tell you about how my mother and Rumplestiltskin used me as a pawn for their personal gain, but you'd still see me as being born evil," Regina stood face to face with Blue and sighed before walking away.

"Regina, wait!" Emma called out, though by that time Regina had disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.

"Mother Superior!" Snow scolded.

"I'm sorry Snow but, you've always seen the good in people, even when you shouldn't,"

"If you won't listen to my mother, then listen to me; if it weren't for Regina, we wouldn't have made if off of that island. Regina's done some, pretty terrible things but, she's trying to do better, that should count for something," Emma said as she glanced around at the crowd.

oOoOo

Zelena watched from a distance as the Merry Men celebrated the return of their leader. So this was the famous Robin Hood. He was…average looking, but she could see why some poor maiden of Sherwood Forest would find to attractive. However, he focus wasn't on his looks, but about the thing that made him weak; the small child he was currently tossing into the air. If there was anything she'd learned over the years, it was that love, was weakness. She decided not to waste any more time and proceeded to make her presence known. She transported herself into the middle of the camp as Robin held Roland protectively close to him.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Robin questioned.

"Don't mind me, I just wanted to meet the Prince of Thieves, that's all," Zelena said, batting her eyebrows dramatically.

"Oh, I bet you're wondering why your Merry Men don't look scared of me. I'll let you in on a little secret, while you were off in Neverland gallivanting with the heroes, I was here, setting up my reign as Queen,"

"The Enchanted Forest has no Queen, she's long gone,"

"Yes, I've heard of The Evil Queen," Zelena said with a vicious smile.

"She's not evil!" Roland shouted as Robin gently tried to shush him.

"What an adorable little hobbit," Zelena said as she used her magic to transport Roland into her arms.

"Roland! Whatever you want, I'll give it to you, please! Just don't hurt my son," Robin begged as Zelena laughed.

"Oh, I don't plan on hurting him, but I am going to use him as leverage," Zelena ran a finger along Roland's cheek as he squirmed to get out of her grasp.

"I have no idea who you are or what you've come here for but-"

"Oh pipe down, will you? I'm here because I heard from a little birdie that you spent time with the Queen," Zelena said as Robin's eyes locked with Little John's.

"That's right; the tubby one told me all about your trip to Neverland with the heroes. Tell me; was the Evil Queen with them?"

"Yes,"

"And exactly where did they go?" Robin didn't respond.

"If you wish for your child not to become a baby flying monkey, tell me where they went," Zelena threatened.

"They returned to Storybrooke," Robin sighed.

"And how do I get to Storybrooke?"

"I don't know,"

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"The Queen's curse only took certain people to Storybrooke; the rest of us were protected by some sort of cloaking spell. Time stood still for us until about a year ago, presumably when the Queen's curse was broken," Zelena glared at Robin and then down at Roland before a wicked smile flashed across her face.

"How did you get to Neverland exactly?"

"We used Peter Pan's shadow," Robin said, keeping his eyes trained on Zelena who was still staring down at Roland with a heightened interest.

"Tell me something Robin Hood; do you love your son?"

"Yes,"

"And what would you be willing to do for him?"

"Anything," Robin said desperately as Zelena began to laugh.

"…Anything?" She asked as Robin nodded, though he had a sinking feeling in his gut about what she was going to do.

"Yes; though if I may ask, why are you interested in the Queen?"

"My interests in the Evil Queen are my own; now I'm curious, why do you want to know why I'm interested in the Evil Queen? From what I hear everyone hates her," Zelena stared hard at Robin for a few moments before her eyes shined with glee.

"Oh! This is even better! You like her, don't you?"

"I said, do you like her?" Zelena asked as her hand trailed along Roland's chest.

"If you don't answer me in the next 3 seconds my hand goes into his chest and, I'm pretty sure you know what'll happen then,"

"Yes, yes I do like her," Zelena's grin deepened.

"Do you love her?"

"I…"

"I said, do you love her?"

"I'm not sure, but I do care for her,"

"You may be more useful than I thought; does the queen care about you?"

"She does," Robin nodded gravely as Zelena laughed.

"This is absolutely perfect! I'm going to use you to destroy her! I'll be keeping your adorable son as leverage. From now on, you do exactly as I say when I say it, got it?" Zelena grinned as Roland began to weep in her arms.

"I said, do you understand? Because if you don't, there are other ways for me to help you understand,"

"Yes! Yes, I understand…please, don't hurt him,"

"Oh I don't plan to, so long as you do everything that I say,"

"Yes, yes I promise," Zelena laughed cruelly as tears streamed down Robin's cheeks.

"For you to be the Prince of Thieves, you're quite pathetic,"

"Call me what you will, but I have no regrets about loving my son," Robin said boldly.

"You may not regret loving your son, but you will regret your feelings about The Evil Queen. I think its high time that…Roland and I get going. You're more than welcome to meet me at Rumplestiltskin's castle if you have any information on how to get to the Evil Queen," With that, Zelena disappeared with Roland in a cloud of green smoke. Once she was gone, Robin dropped to his knees and wept bitterly.

His son was gone and Regina was in danger, but he had no way to help either of them.

 _Chapter 17 to follow…_


	16. Chapter 14

Robin's heart sinks into his chest when the Wicked Witch disappears with his son. He drops to his knees and weeps bitterly, completely unsure of how he's going to get his son back. However, when he feels a hand on his shoulder he stands up. There's a hatred in his eyes for Little John as he punches him square in the face.

"You filthy tosser! You sold me out to the bloody Wicked Witch!" Robin is significantly smaller than his friend but he seemed to acquire superhuman strength as he pummeled the man into the ground.

"Robin, I'm sorry!"

"I don't care about your goddamn sorry! That bloody woman has my son!" Robin shouted as Friar Tuck and Alan pulled him away from John.

"You're nothing to me, do you hear me? You're nothing!" Robin shouted before disappearing into the forest.

"Robin, come back!" Friar Tuck is rushing after him but Robin pulls back like he's been burned.

"You all knew about this, didn't you?" Robin's tone is accusatory as he glares at his Merry Men.

"Robin, listen to me; we'd no idea that the witch would take Roland,"

"But you knew she was looking for me, and that she was after Regina?"

"We did," Tuck at least has the decency to hang his head in shame.

"Robin, believe me when I say-"

"No, I believe nothing you say! I lost my son and Regina's in danger and it's because of you all!"

"Why are you defending her!?" Alan shouted.

"Because I spent the last 2 weeks getting to know her and that woman…she's not the queen anymore. She saved my son's life, I owe it to her to keep her safe."

"You told the witch you cared for her, is it true, Robin?" Robin glanced around at his Merry Men and sighed.

"It's true, I do care for the queen,"

"After only a few weeks in Neverland, you're suddenly in love with the Evil Queen?" Little John stood up, a bit of blood dripping from his face; Robin had given him quite the shiner.

"Yes, I have, she's far more loyal than you lot will ever be. Putting my son's life in the hands of that witch and for what? What could she have possibly promised you to make you betray me, to betray my son! He's all I have left of Marian and you traded him as though he were nothing!" Robin shook his head sadly as he turned away from the Merry Men.

"From now on, you stay away from me; I'm no longer your leader. Do what you will, whatever happens to you is no longer my concern."

Storybrooke:

Regina sighed heavily as she stood outside of her house. It felt…different to be back here after everything that had happened. She carefully made her way up the front steps and headed inside, shutting the door behind her. The place felt just as empty as it had when she came home after the curse broke. She stood in the middle of her foyer and wept for a few moments before trudging up the stairs. While she was thankful for magic, she desperately missed the modern conventions of this world, like toilets, and showers, and oh yes, her queen sized bed. She locked her bedroom behind her and instantly peeled off her Neverland outfit, causing the clothes to dissipate into thin air. There was no way in hell she'd ever wear those things again.

Once she was down to nothing but her underwear, Regina padded into the bathroom and set the shower to her preferred temperature before gathering her favorite scented body wash and shampoo. Stepping into the shower, she basked in the feel of the shower's hot water pelting her skin. She needed this, needs to wash away the stench of dirt and death and Robin Hood. She moved to stand underneath the shower head, letting the water run over her face and into her hair. For a split second, she allowed herself to think of Robin's offer to come back to Storybrooke with her. She smiles gently as she thinks of how excited he and Roland would be as they gazed in wonder at all of this world's contraptions. She allows her mind to drift to how Robin would respond to being in the shower with her. Her hand travels to one of her breasts, giving it a squeeze as she imagines Robin's hands on her skin.

Soon enough she's indulging in a fantasy that has her coming around her own fingers. She leans back against the wall for a moment as she tries to catch her breath. While the release of orgasm was great, it still didn't change the fact that she'd turned down Robin's offer to come back to Storybrooke with her. Sure, she and Henry would've loved it but, she couldn't put him in danger like that. There were still people in town who wanted to see her head on a platter; having Robin and Roland in town would only increase that desire and potentially put them in danger. She feels a bit more relaxed after she's changed into something more comfortable. She's deciding on whether or not she should let her hair air dry or straighten it out when she hears the doorbell ring. She's got a brooding look on her face when she slings the front door open. Henry's standing there; Snow, and Emma are standing behind him.

"We come bearing gifts; Henry thought you'd like a kale salad from Granny's," Emma holds out the brown paper bag as a peace offering of sorts.

"I'm assuming that the food is also a sign that you wanna talk about Robin?" Regina moves aside to let everyone in. Henry immediately runs upstairs, informing everyone that he's going upstairs because he's missed the comforts of sleeping in his own bed and taking a shower.

"Well, now that you mention it…" Emma makes herself comfortable; she opens the refrigerator and grabs a bottle of water.

"Regina, it's perfectly okay if you're feeling sad about Robin," Snow says, causing Regina to sigh.

"You don't get it Snow; there's no way for me to be happy," Regina hangs her head in shame as she leans against the counter.

"Hey, you can be happy," Emma looks up from her water when she hears the defeat in Regina's voice.

"No, Emma; did you not see how the crowd reacted when we came back? They want my head on a platter. That's why I told Robin not to come back with me; I knew that he and Roland would be a target and…I care about them far too much to let someone try and harm them," Regina let out a sigh of frustration as she wiped away a stray tear.

"You should have told him to come with you. Regina, I hadn't seen you as happy as you were with Robin since…since-"

"Since the day we met,"

"You've paid for your sins, it's time you start living your life as a redeemed person," Snow said as she took one of Regina's hands into her own, giving it a squeeze.

oOo

Zelena returned to Rumplestiltskin's castle in a cloud of Green smoke. Once the smoke cleared, she rolled her eyes in disgust at the small child who was wailing in her arms.

"Ugh! Iago! Do something about his incessant sniveling, would you?" At the sound of her voice, a tall, gangly old man made his way into the common area.

Iago had been a loyal servant of Jafar's but had somehow become entangled with the Wicked Witch after Jafar had been imprisoned in the gene's lamp by Aladdin and Jasmine.

" _You rang, your majesty_?" Iago may have been old, but he carried himself with a regal air.

"Make sure he doesn't try and run away; his father's a thief so I'm sure he's quite good at hiding," Iago carefully made his way towards Roland, who quickly cowered behind Zelena's leg.

"Now, now, little boy; I'm sure we can find someplace…useful for you," Iago said with a laugh as he snatched Roland from behind Zelena's legs. Zelena found herself smirking as Roland's shrieks of terror echoed throughout the walls of the castle.

Once the room was silent again, she made her way towards the bubbling cauldron that sat in the middle of the room. The pot was slowly simmering, a variety of ingredients inside of it. Zelena glanced over at the spell book that sat beside the cauldron, its words written in an unknown tongue.

"Now why didn't I attention when Rumple tried to teach me how to read Elvish?" Zelena murmured to herself as she tried to decipher the incantation.

This spell would be the first of many she'd need in order to enact her plan. She had to defeat the Evil Queen because there was no way she was going to be defeated. Zelena rested her palms on the edge of the table where the book sat. She sighed heavily as her eyes scanned the words. She tried hard to recall the words and spells that Rumplestiltskin had taught her. Sadly, she came up with nothing. She pushed herself away from the book and let out a scream of frustration. Why was it so hard to get to the Evil Queen she wondered aloud. Suddenly, she stopped and realized where she was. She was in Rumplestiltskin's castle; he had to have something that would help her get to the queen.

"Now if I were a portal to another world, where would I be?" Zelena muttered as she began her search for a way to find get to the Evil Queen.

oOo

Robin frantically ran through the forest, desperate to get to Rumplestiltskin's castle. He had to find his son. He had to stop the Wicked Witch from getting to Regina. He was immediately flooded with feelings of anger at the thought of his men betraying him, of betraying his son. They knew how much Marian meant to him; how could they so easily sell out his son? What had the witch promised them? More importantly, why was she so hell bent on getting to Regina? He leaned against a nearby tree and panted heavily. He should be used to traveling through thickets of forest, especially after the time he spent in Neverland. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily as thoughts of Neverland led his mind to thoughts of Regina.

"Why did you force me to come back here?" Robin muttered.

He rested his forehead against the bark of the tree as he was taken back to the intimate moment he and Regina spent on Hook's ship.

 _Regina grinned at Robin before glancing around the ship. Oh, she was up to something he thought to himself. She carefully took his hand and led him towards the Captain's quarters._

" _Regina, are you sure?" She didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence._

" _I don't wanna have sex with you just yet…" Robin gave her a tender smile before reaching out to touch her cheek._

" _We don't have to have sex if it's not what you want," She grinned back at him before pressing a kiss to his lips before opening the door to Hook's personal quarters._

 _Once the door was closed, Robin could not contain himself. His hands immediately moved to Regina's waist, lightly groping her ass. Her hands wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him over and over again. Robin's heart beat rapidly inside his chest, he hadn't felt like this about anyone in a very long time. His hands threaded into her hair as he blindly led her towards the bed, pulling her onto his lap. Robin let out a groan of satisfaction when he felt Regina rolling her hips against him. He knew she said no sex, but this was going to be hard, especially with the way he felt himself growing hard for her. His hands moved to still her hips as she pulled back to look at him, an adorably confused look in her eyes._

" _I know you said no sex but…this isn't exactly helping me not want to have sex with you," Regina let out a breathy chuckle as she moved to lie down beside him._

" _I'm sorry," Regina hung her head, dragging her lower lip into her mouth._

" _Don't be; I just want to respect your wishes, that's all," Robin said as he took her hand into his._

" _It's not that I don't want to but, I'd much rather get to know you more before we…"_

" _I understand; plus, if we're being honest, I wouldn't want our first time to be onboard a ship while our sons could easily barge in on us," Robin pulled Regina closer to him so that her head could rest against his chest._

" _That would be mortifying; Henry's only known me to date one person, but he never spent the night,"_

" _Roland's never known me to fancy anyone, so it'd be really confusing to him, especially since he doesn't exactly remember his mother,"_

" _So for now…"_

" _We'll just enjoy one another's company; but one day…"_

" _One day, I shall be able to indulge in worshiping your body as much as I please and as many times as I please," Robin said as he wrapped his arms around Regina, gently pressing a kiss to her lips._

Robin sighed heavily as he thought about Regina; why couldn't she see that he cared about her? He closed his eyes, doing his best to not think about Regina and instead, on how he could get his son out of the Wicked Witch's grasp. He pushed himself off of the tree and continued his journey towards Rumplestiltskin's castle.

He had to stop the Wicked Witch; there was no way she was going to have two people that he loved and cared about.

oOo

"Thanks for agreeing to meet with me, Regina," Neal said as they sat in a booth at Granny's that evening.

"I had no choice; you're Henry's father, Emma is his birth mother. Whether I like it or not, that makes us family so…" Neal watched Regina intently as she looked down at her dinner.

"Regina, I told you; no one's forcing you to-"

"There's no way I'd be able to pry you two away from Henry at this point,"

"Regina, we don't wanna interfere with you and Henry's life; all I wanna do is get to know my son," Regina looked up at Neal and sighed.

"You're right; you do deserve to know your son, especially with the way you were brought up,"

"Thank you, for understanding,"

"I know a thing or two about fucked up parents," Regina said with a smile.

"Like I said before, you would keep full custody of Henry with Neal and I being able to see him during the week and getting him every other weekend. Does that sound reasonable?" Emma knew that relinquishing some of her parental rights would be hard for Regina, but she hoped that it would work.

"Alright, I don't see why not,"

oOo

Rumple watched as Belle slept peacefully beside him. He was so happy to be home, to be able to hold her in his arms and to kiss her. He was worried that the prophecy would come true, that Henry really would be his undoing. What he wasn't expecting was for his son to be alive and on the island. Rumple was more than grateful when everyone made it off the island alive. As he glanced over at his true love, Rumple knew that Belle would want him to try and make amends with his son. Tomorrow morning, he would begin to work on his relationship with his son. He could only hope that he'd be willing to talk to him and give him a second chance.

Neal sat in Granny's diner as his listened to his father explain everything he had done since becoming the Dark One.

"So you cast the Dark Curse to try and find me?" Neal raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

"It's true; that day…breaking my deal with you was the worst thing I've ever done. Can you ever forgive me, son?"

Neal stared long and hard at his father as he thought over his words. He had definitely hoped that his father had changed over the years. This time, however, he seemed to be more sincere, which was why he decided to give him a chance.

"Alright, fine; you can start by coming to dinner with Emma and me tonight. Oh, and bring Belle, Henry likes Belle," Rumple let out a reluctant sigh but agreed.

oOo

Regina frowned as she stood in her kitchen that evening. While she was willing to play nice with Emma and Neal, she most definitely didn't sign up to play happy families with Rumple, Belle, and Hook. She sighed heavily, doing her best to keep her thoughts from straying to Robin. She wondered if he and Roland were happy in the Enchanted Forest. She wondered even more if they were safe; Roland was a little boy and should be in school, not traipsing through the woods with a bunch of thieves. She was so caught up in her thoughts of Robin and Roland that she knicked her finger.

"Dammit!" Regina hissed, just as Henry came into the room.

"Mom, are you alright?" Regina glanced up quickly at the sound of Henry's voice.

"Yeah, Henry, I just…cut my finger, that's all," Henry strolled toward his mother and took her hand, examining it.

"Ooh, ouch!" Henry gave Regina a smile before moving into a nearby cabinet and grabbing a band aid.

"Thanks, Henry,"

"Were you thinking about Robin again?"

"How did you-"

"Mom…"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Nah, I just heard Emma and Grandma talking about it when I stayed at the loft," Regina rolled her eyes and made a mental note to have a civil discussion with Emma and Snow about what to say in Henry's presence.

"Well you shouldn't be eavesdropping young man," Henry smiled sheepishly as he scuffed the toe of his shoe on the ground.

"Hey, I'll be fine I promise. Now, let's go have dinner with the rest of your family shall we?" Regina cupped Henry's cheek affectionately as they went into the dining area.

Dinner was…quiet, to say the least. No one really knew what to say, things were still tense between them. Regina glanced around the room at everyone present; Snow, Charming, Emma, Hook, Neal, Rumple, and Belle. She smiled at Henry but instantly felt a pang in her heart because Robin and Roland should be sitting among them.

"Regina, are you okay?" She looked up at the sound of Snow's voice; damn, she must have looked terrible if people keep having to ask if she's okay.

"I'm having dinner with my once sworn mortal enemies, the man who kidnapped me and left me to be tortured for two days as well as my mentor who exploited my personal pain for his benefit. No Snow, I'm not okay," Snow sighed heavily before going back to her dinner.

"We're trying ya know, we really are trying Regina. What happened in Neverland was-"

"If you value your life, then you will _never_ speak about Neverland in my presence again," Regina's voice was low and left no room for arguments; it was clear to everyone that what she was saying wasn't a threat but a promise.

"Mom, please," Henry was pulling on her arm to keep her from incinerating the rest of his family. He knew that this was hard for her, but at least she was trying, that's all he asked.

"I won't hurt them, Henry, I promise…just don't get in my way," Regina gave everyone in the room a stern look as they quietly finished dinner.

oOoOo

"Dinner was…lovely, considering the circumstances. Perhaps we should do this another time," Rumple stood near the front door of Regina's house, making odd conversation with his son. He wasn't sure what the status of their relationship was but, he knew he needed to try.

"You mean like you, me, Henry, and Belle?" Neal looked up at his father and for a second, Rumple swore he saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"Bell's a far better cook than I am," Rumple said as Neal smiled at him.

"I guess we'd better get used to all of this, having dinner with the heroes and Regina,"

"I guess we should; after all, Henry's your son and my grandson. Regina and Emma are his mothers so…"

"I didn't know you kept it," Neal said suddenly as Rumple looked at him curiously.

"Kept what son?"

"Your walking stick; the one you used to measure my height. I saw it in your castle…did you hope that I'd return someday? Because you enchanted it, that's how I was able to find open the magical door in your castle," Rumple was quiet for a few moments; he felt as though the darkness was slowly floating away as he imagined Bae being sentimental over his old walking stick.

"I'd always imagined that you'd return, but after so long, I lost hope. I kept that walking stick because it meant so much to me. I kept your cloak as well, it's how I was able to cross the town line and keep my memories when I came to find you," Neal gave his father a small smile before clearing his throat.

"Well, I've gotta head out; I start work tomorrow. David's gonna give me a job at the Sheriff's station,"

"From what I hear, you're quite the criminal," Rumple said as Neal smirked at him.

"That should be an interesting job; anywho, this was…it was good. I'll see you around pop," With that, Neal turned and bid his son and everyone else farewell.

"Well, I'd say you two are off to a good start," Belle moved to stand beside him, giving his bicep a little squeeze.

"I just hope I don't let him down,"

"You won't; I have faith in you Rumple," Belle leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek before the two left Regina's house.

oOo

Meanwhile, inside, Snow was helping Regina clean her kitchen, though Regina was noticeably silent.

"I didn't mean to pry earlier, Regina," Snow leaned against the counters as she watched Regina's back become rigid and stiff.

"I'd rather not talk about it, Snow,"

"I know you're hurting and-"

"What part of 'I don't wanna talk about it' did you not understand?!" Snow sighed heavily as she watched her stepmother.

"You've changed ya know; I saw it after the curse broke. It doesn't matter what Blue says. You've made your fair share of mistakes, but you've been working to fix them. You deserve to be happy; Regina, you're the most resilient woman I know. Think about it, no other person would've been able to survive what you've been through. Don't be so quick to close yourself off to love because you're afraid that someone you love might get hurt. Let your heart lead you; remember, you were the one who told me about True Love. I've carried those words in my heart for years. You said, True Love was magic; it was the most-"

"Powerful magic of all," Both women say simultaneously.

"Your heart will find its way back to love, whether it's with Robin or someone else, but you will be happy again, Regina, I promise." Snow walked over to Regina and took her hands into her own as she gave them a squeeze.

"Don't lose hope; the road isn't going to be easy, but to be the most resilient means that your reward is going to be amazing," Snow surprised Regina once again by enveloping her into a hug. It took a few minutes but Regina hugged her back. The two soon parted ways as Snow left to be with her husband and daughter while Regina went to make sure Henry was settled into bed.

oOo

In order to not disturb Henry, Regina made her way outside to the garden with a glass of wine. She looked up at the stars and sighed heavily; she couldn't stop thinking about Robin. This was getting ridiculous she thought to herself as she let out a frustrated huff. There was no way she was in love with Robin, not after such a short time. She rationalized that it was because for the first time since Daniel that she felt things, strongly and deeply at that. She mostly attributed her feelings to his tattoo. Love didn't come around twice, not for people like her. She leaned back in her chair and sighed heavily. As she watched the stars, she immediately noticed a flash of lightening burst into the sky.

"What the hell is that?" She murmured to herself as she sat up.

Almost immediately, she could feel a strong pull of magic, magic that was strong and most definitely dark. The first person her mind went to was Rumple, but it didn't make sense. Why would he go and use dark magic after promising his son that he would try and be good? Regina was hesitant to go and check it out because she knew that people would automatically blame her for whatever hell had decided to unleash itself on Storybrooke. She sighed heavily as she stood up.

"There's no way in hell I'm going anywhere near that mess. Let the heroes figure it out," she said to herself before she picked up her wine glass and went inside.

oOo

When Robin opened his eyes, he found himself standing on a hard, dark looking surface. It appeared to be a road of some kind, but why wasn't it dirt like all of the other roads he wondered. He jumped in relief when he felt a small pair of hands hanging on to him. Roland was still with him.

"It's okay boy, you're safe, you're safe," Robin kissed his son's head and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, it looks like my plan worked," Robin didn't have to look back to know that wherever the portal had taken them, the Wicked Witch followed.

"You have no idea where we are, do you?" She moved to stand in front of him and to his surprise her skin was no longer green, but a pale, creamy color. In fact, if he were honest with himself, the Wicked Witch didn't look half bad. She was still madly insane and evil but, not half bad looking.

"No, where did you take us?" Robin held Roland closer to him as the Wicked Witch proceeded to move further into his personal space.

"Why we're in Storybrooke where your beloved Regina lives," Robin took a second to glance around. It did look otherworldly; and if he weren't certain of where they were, the large green sign that said 'Entering Storybrooke' was a dead giveaway.

"If I were you, I wouldn't even think about trying to find Regina and tell her what I'm up to because you see, I placed a tethering spell on your son. So should you even attempt to tell Regina that I'm here, your son will die," The wicked witch, or Zelena as she was called looked serious. He'd only just got Roland back after their ordeal with Peter Pan and he didn't want to lose him for good.

"I won't tell her but please, don't hurt her,"

"I'm afraid I have to; you see, an annoying witch told me many years ago that the queen would be the one to defeat me. I can't have that; so unless you can find another way to defeat her that doesn't involve killing her, I'm all ears," Robin sighed heavily; he didn't know any other way to help Regina. Zelena smiled smugly when she realized he had no ideas.

"Now, here's how this is gonna work; you're going to tell her that the Wicked Witch is after her and that you snuck into Rumplestiltskin's castle and found a way to escape here. Tell her that the witch is still in the Enchanted Forest, but is looking for a way to get here. Remember, should you divert from this story…little Roland here gets it. Understood?"

"And pray tell who will I tell her you are? Because she knows that my wife is dead,"

"Your wife may be dead…but that doesn't mean that you haven't found someone special," Zelena's eyes were seductive as she stared at him.

"That's not possible; I won't lie to Regina any more than I have to,"

"Fine, tell her I helped you escape,"

"Fine,"

Zelena stood in the middle of the road for a few moments before turning her attention back to Robin and Roland.

"We should get going,"

"Do you even know where you're going?"

"We'll figure it out, now come on," Robin rolled his eyes but followed; he had to figure out a plan, and fast. Roland and Regina's lives depended on it.

oOo

Regina woke up the next morning feeling refreshed. She and Henry spent the entire day together, going to the library and the comic book store to pick up the newest comics and his summer reading list. They topped the day off with a trip to the park and ice cream from Any Given Sundae. It was nice, spending the day with the most important person in her life. However, her mind kept floating back to Robin and Roland. If only life had decided to be favorable to her, she could've been spending the day with her three favorite men. She quickly shook the thought out of her head as she and Henry left the ice cream shop. What she wasn't expecting when she and Henry exited was to find Snow, Charming, Emma, Hook, and Gold standing outside of Granny's. They were huddled in a circle and among them was the Blue Fairy and woman she'd never seen before. Emma was the first to spot her, waving her over.

"Well, looks like our day's been cut short," She said to Henry.

"It's still early; we can order pizza and I can kick your butt at Mario Cart,"

"You're on," Regina smirked as they crossed the street.

"Alright Miss Swan, what seems to be the problem?" Regina's voice was all business like as she addressed the heroes, Hook, and Gold.

"Regina, there's something you should know…" Emma began; Regina watched the blonde. She seemed apprehensive, wringing her hands and the glances she kept making towards the diner.

"Alright, what is it?"

"Last night, did you feel any magic?" Blue asked; she still holds a look of contempt in her eyes but Regina doesn't care.

"I did, but I ignored it,"

"You? Ignoring dark magic, that's a first," Regina closed her eyes and took a deep breath; this moth was really testing her.

"Yes, I ignored it because I knew that if I went to see what it was, people like you would assume-"

"People like me?" Blue raised an eyebrow incredulously.

"Yes, people like you; those unable to look past what I've done,"

"It's hard to do when you were essentially responsible for Greg and Tamara coming to town,"

"Alright, that's enough; Regina, this is Zelena," Snow stepped between Regina and Blue, introducing her to the woman she'd seen from across the street. She seemed…off; she was pretty, with her red hair and blue eyes. But there was something about her that Regina couldn't put her finger on.

"Your majesty, I've heard so much about you," Zelena said as she bowed.

"You don't have to do that, and I don't go by your majesty here, Regina's just fine,"

"Sorry, Regina; it's just, everyone knows who you are and…well, what you did," Regina resisted the urge to cringe when Zelena not so subtly brought up the curse.

"Yes well, I do have a past but I'm working on being a better person. How exactly did you end up here? I know everyone that came over with the curse, and I've never seen you before,"

"That's exactly why we called you over; Zelena came to Storybrooke through a portal," Snow explained.

"That would explain the magic…how did you-"

"I well, we-"

"We? More people came with you?" Everyone grew quiet at Regina's question.

"Regina…Robin and Roland are here," Snow said as Regina's eyes widened in shock.

 _Chapter 18 to follow…_

* * *

 **I apologize for the long wait; my school life and my personal life have been pretty hectic lately. The good news is that I've been working on several OUAT, Grey's Anatomy, and Private Practice fics. Most of my OUAT fics will be NonMagical AU's. While I like the canon, I prefer NonMagical AU's because it gives me more room creatively. We're only about a chapter or two from moving into the missing year, which is where the real fun begins! In the next chapter, you'll see just how Zelena managed to get to Storybrooke and some cute Outlaw Queen moments. Also, I'm happy to announce that starting in 2017 I'll be posting several new Outlaw Queen AU/ Canon Divergent fics. I'm also going to be taking prompts on my twitter and Tumblr as well as DMs here. I can't wait for you all to read my new fics!**

 **Happy Reading!**


	17. Chapter 15

Regina's heart seemed to stop when Snow uttered the words 'Robin and Roland are here'. Her eyes widened in shock, and she was almost sure that if she moved an inch, she'd faint.

"What? How? But that's, that's not-"

"Someone in the Enchanted Forest is looking for you, the Wicked Witch," Zelena told them.

"You mean like the Wicked Witch of the West?" Emma said as Zelena turned to face her.

"Yes, you've heard of her?"

"…Sort of; I didn't know you knew the Wicked Witch of the West," Emma said as she turned to look at Regina.

"That's because I don't,"

"Are you sure?" Charming asked.

"You did manage to step on quite a few toes in our land," Snow added.

"I think I'd remember if I ever came in contact with a green skinned woman!" Regina snapped as she turned her attention towards Zelena,

"You said she was looking for me, why?"

"I'm not sure, but she's heard of you and she wants to destroy you. It's why she went after Robin,"

"Wait, how do you know Robin?"

"Robin's my-"

"She's my sister; hello, Regina," Robin carefully made his way down the steps of Granny's diner, Roland carefully hoisted on his hip. She couldn't help the feeling of relief that flooded her chest. But she also couldn't ignore the guilt. Someone had tried to come after him, after his family.

"Are you okay, is Roland okay?"

"We're fine; Roland's a bit shaken up but, he'll be fine, won't you my boy?" Robin leaned down to press a kiss to Roland's curls.

"I'm sorry," Regina sighed heavily.

"Don't be; I'd gladly risk my life to make sure that witch doesn't come near you," Robin said soothingly.

"I hate to interrupt this lovely meeting but, we have to figure out what this Wicked Witch wants," Regina and Robin glance back at David.

"He's right; why don't I get you and your…sister, a room here at Granny's?" Robin nodded.

"Thank you, we appreciate it; I'll see you soon, right?"

"Of course; just give me time to figure out what this Wicked Witch wants with me," Regina rested her forehead against Robin's as he held her hands. With that, they parted ways; Regina went inside to let Granny know that Robin could stay in the B&B as long as necessary.

"Are you sure you've never heard of the Wicked Witch?" Emma and Regina walked down the sidewalk along with David, Snow, and Hook.

"For the hundredth time, I told you I've never even seen her before," Regina snapped.

"We have to be sure Regina; what other reason could she want to harm you?"

"I'm done having this conversation, because telling you people 'I don't know her' isn't getting me anywhere," Regina sighed.

"Maybe we could ask Robin and his sister; she had to have said something to them about you," Snow suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me, we'll split up first thing in the morning to talk to Robin and his sister and to look for clues," Regina nodded as everyone went their separate ways, though she paused when only Snow remained behind.

"What do you want, Snow?"

"Are you alright, Regina? I know this is a lot to handle but-"

"Robin is here," She said as she ran a hand through her hair.

"Robin is here and he shouldn't be,"

"What do you mean? Regina, you obviously-"

"Care about him? I know, I do, trust me I do…but look at what's happened as a result! He's only here because someone threatened his family. This is exactly what I was talking about when I told him that loving me was dangerous," Regina turned her back away from Snow as she did all that she could to not cry.

"Love you? Regina, do you-"

"I don't know what the hell I'm feeling Snow! Whatever it is that I'm feeling is…I don't deserve happiness, not after what I've done,"

"Regina, yes, you've made some mistakes, but don't you think at some point you're gonna have to stop paying for them?" The queen sighed and shook her head.

"I don't allow myself to have hope Snow, you know this,"

"Well, maybe it's time that you did," Snow gave Regina one last smile before heading off in the direction of David and Emma.

oOo

"This is what she calls a curse? She sent everyone to a land with indoor plumbing," Zelena scoffed as she looked around the small room that she, Robin, and Roland were to be sharing.

"Papa, why did you lie and tell Regina that the Wicked-" Robin quickly put a hand up to his son's mouth before kneeling down in front of him.

"Roland, we mustn't tell Regina who Zelena really is," Roland looked up at his father with confusion written all over his face.

"But, why not?"

"Because if you do…"

"Because if you do, I'll be forced to hurt Regina, and you wouldn't want that, would you Rollie?" Zelena voice was sickeningly sweet as she too knelt down in front of Roland, though the boy dared not look at her.

"Roland, promise me that you won't tell Regina who Zelena really is," Robin's eyes pleaded with his young son to understand. He knew that a secret of this magnitude was a lot to put on a child his age but what he didn't tell his son was that it wasn't just Regina's life that would be in danger if he told, it would be his own.

"Okay," Roland's nod was resolute, his eyes conveying way more than they should at just four years old.

"Good," Robin gave his son a squeeze as he silently promised to find a way to let Regina know what was going on.

oOo

Once she was in the privacy of her own home, Regina let the tears she'd been holding in fall. She couldn't believe that Robin was here, in her realm. But her heart immediately sank when she thought of the reason why he and Roland were in Storybrooke. Snow had told her to have hope, but how can she have hope when there's some crazed witch who wanted to destroy her? There was no way that was happening. What Regina would do, though, was make sure that as long as Robin and Roland were in Storybrooke that they would be safe. Once she was done crying (which wasn't very long), she immediately poofed herself into her crypt. She quickly made her way down the stairs where her spell books were. She grabbed the first book she got her hands on and began to read.

There had to be some type of information on the Wicked Witch, and Regina would find it.

She didn't realize that she'd fallen asleep until she could feel the sun's rays on her face through one of the windows in her hidden room. She sat up, immediately groaning at the pain in her back from being hunched over her tomes all night. She rolled her neck, sighing heavily as she felt her neck crack. She came up short in terms of finding information about the Wicked Witch. Her library was limited, which made her realize that she would have to go to Belle, because if anyone knew about the Wicked Witch, it would be Rumple's little bookworm. First, though, she had to see Robin, had to hold him in her arms in order to make sure that last night wasn't a dream. She poofed herself back home to change and was walking into the diner within minutes.

Surprisingly, she found the woman who claimed to be Robin's sister sitting in a booth near the door.

"Zelena, good morning," the woman didn't look quite pleased to see her for some odd reason. Maybe she was having a hard time adjusting to this new realm. She remembers how strange it was to be here when she'd first cast the curse.

"I know how strange this must be for you, trying to figure out how things work," Regina took a seat in the booth across from Zelena.

"This isn't the place I'd imagined; I expected something more…"

"Terrible?" Regina smirked

"Yes, something much more terrible; not a place with indoor plumbing,"

"I didn't create the curse myself, it was given to me by Rumplestiltskin; I just provided it with certain details," Zelena leaned forward as she suddenly became interested in the curse.

"What kind of details, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I wiped away everyone's memories, creating for them these cursed lives where they were forced to relive the same mundane day over and over for 28 years…"

"And then the curse was broken?" Regina nodded.

"It was…but, I've come to realize that my anger was, it was silly. I chose hate and revenge over love and missed out on so many opportunities, some that nearly cost me greatly," There was something in Regina's eyes, a fondness that Zelena couldn't quite understand.

"You mean Robin? He's told me so much about you," Zelena said as she watched Regina intently, waiting for her answer.

"Robin is…part of that but, my son, Henry; it's how Robin and I met actually," Zelena's eyebrows rose at the mention of Henry's name.

"I didn't know you had a son?"

"I'm surprised he didn't mention him,"

"He couldn't shut up about you," Zelena said, a fake smile plastered on her lips.

"Hmm; well, Henry started me on my road to redemption. It hasn't been an easy road but, I'm trying to do better. Speaking of which, I wanted to personally apologize,"

"Come again?"

"For dragging you into this mess; I still haven't figured out why this Wicked Witch is after me when I've never even met her,"

"Perhaps she's heard of you; I mean, you've quite the reputation back in the Enchanted Forest,"

"Yes well, who I was then is different from who I'm trying to become. So I'm sorry, for any discomfort or confusion, all of this might be causing. I'm sure you've got family who-"

"No, no one besides Robin and Roland," Zelena tried to keep her smile going but the more she listened to Regina talk, the angrier she became. But this little talk was good; the queen was revealing her weaknesses. This was a good thing; after all, love is weakness…

"Still, you, nor Robin or Roland should be dragged into the middle of my mess and for that I'm sorry..." Zelena could see in her eyes that she really wanted to talk to Robin; ugh, people in love made her sick.

"Robin and Roland were just waking up when I came downstairs," Zelena said with an eye roll as Regina grinned sheepishly at her before she stood.

Zelena watched Regina with disgust as she hurried towards the back, taking the stairs to get to Robin and Roland. She shook her head; some Evil Queen Regina turned out to be, she was jarred from her thoughts as someone took residence in the seat next to her. It was Rumplestiltskin, the very man who'd trained both she and Regina. He stared at her, long and hard, trying to decipher who she was. She was sure that he would recognize her; after all, she still had the exact same face, the only difference was that her skin wasn't green.

"Who are you?" Zelena scoffed, hoping that he wouldn't recognize her and rat her out to the others.

"The name's Mr. Gold, and who might you be, dearie?" Rumple stared into her eyes a few moments more before getting up and leaving the table, but not before leaning into her ear, whispering,

"I know who you are, and whatever you have planned, leave my family out of it, or else there'll be hell to play. No one messes with the Dark One, dearie," Zelena felt a shiver run down her spine; so he did know who she was? This was even better because he too had a weakness that she could use against him.

"I'm only here for Regina, nothing more," Zelena murmured as she locked eyes with Rumple who said nothing more as he exited the diner.

Things had just gotten interesting.

 _Chapter 19 to follow_

* * *

 **Hello lovely readers and Happy New Year! I haven't abandoned this story completely so please don't ever think that. I'm slowly working on a way to schedule updates more often because I really do appreciate you all taking the time out to read my stories. I'll also be posting more fics over on AO3 as well. Things are about to get really interesting in these next few chapters. Don't worry, an OQ/Dimples Queen reunion is all set for the upcoming chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Xx**


	18. Chapter 16

Her heart was pounding as she made her way up the stairs to Robin and Roland's room. Her hand shook as she reached out to knock on the door. She waited with baited breath until she could hear the giggling of a child and the sound of someone shuffling towards the door. Tears pooled her eyes as Robin opened the door, breathing out a sigh of relief as he saw her standing on the other side.

"Regina," He breathed her name as though it were an answered prayer.

She wasted no time wrapping her arms around him, tears of happiness spilling down her cheeks. She pulled back to touch his cheek, making sure he was really there.

"Hey, what's with the tears, hmm?" Robin threaded a hand through her hair before rubbing his nose against hers.

"I missed you," Regina whispered as Robin smiled, pressing their foreheads together.

"And I you milady, though we were only parted for a few days," Regina chuckled as they pulled apart. However, Robin's hand moved to her waist, effectively pulling her towards him again.

"Robin, what's-"

"I wish to savor this moment Regina," With that, Robin pressed a tender kiss to her lips that made her weak in the knees. Robin's hand pressed into her back to keep her steady as their lips did an all too familiar dance over and over. They break apart when the sound of tiny laughter reaches their ears. Regina's cheeks flush pink at the sight of being caught kissing by Roland.

"Roland, look who's come to visit us," Regina tucks a piece of stray hair behind her ear as Roland waves at her.

"Hello Roland, it's nice to see you again," Roland hides behind his father's leg, causing Robin to chuckle.

"He's a bit scared; this land is quite strange to us," Robin looks up at Regina with a smile.

"I understand how strange things can be; why don't I treat you all to breakfast, would you like that Roland?" Regina kneels so that she's eye level with Roland.

"I could have Henry meet us at Granny's; I know how much you like seeing Henry," the young boy perks up at the prospect of seeing his new friend.

"I take that as a yes then; we'll meet you downstairs in a moment," Robin hates parting from her but he needs to speak with his son for a few moments.

He watches Regina head down the hallway, pulling out a strange contraption, otherwise known as a cell phone, to presumably call Henry. He's quite fascinated by this land's new contraptions; carriages that require no horse, communication devices that allow you direct access to the person you wish to speak to. He's been told that it's not magic but technology…whatever that word means. Once he's sure she's gone, he closes the door behind him, turning his attention to Roland.

"Roland, I know how scary it is to see Regina, but you mustn't let her know who Zelena is," Robin hated putting his son in this position, but he knew that if Roland were to tell his life would be in grave danger.

"But Papa, Regina's so nice, and she has magic; maybe she can protect us from the witch," Robin cradled his son's face in his hands and smiled.

"That's precisely what the witch wants my boy," Roland frowned.

"So, we have to pretend to be happy to see Regina?" Robin crouched down in front of his son in concern.

"Roland, are you not happy to see Regina?" Roland looked down sheepishly.

"I am but…what if the witch hurts her? I like Regina and Henry; I don't want them to get hurt because of me,"

"Because of you? Oh, my boy, this isn't your fault; none of this is your fault," Robin soothed his son, wrapping his arms around him, holding him in a tight embrace.

"Zelena is a bad woman Roland, and she wants to hurt Regina. She also knows how much you and I care for her, that's why she took you," Robin places a finger underneath Roland's chin to make him look at him.

"Roland, we will find a way to defeat Zelena, I promise you that," Roland stares into his father's eyes for a few moments before nodding.

"I know we will papa because that's what heroes do," Robin smiles at his young son with pride before hugging him once more.

"You're right my boy; we are heroes. So, what do you say we go downstairs and have breakfast with Regina and Henry?" Roland's infectious grin returns as he takes Robin's hand into his own.

"Papa?" Robin pauses to look down at his young son and smiles.

"What is it, Roland?"

"Are we gonna be here long? I miss the forest and Uncle John," Robin tenses at the mention of John's name, but knows that Roland doesn't know that he betrayed them, or him for that matter.

"I don't know how long we'll be here Roland; but think about this, we get to spend time with Regina and Henry, yeah?" Roland smirks at his father.

"Are you gonna kiss her again?" Robin blushes, suddenly remembering that his son had been present when he'd kissed Regina senselessly in the doorway earlier as well as on the ship when they'd returned to the Enchanted Forest.

"I…I quite fancy Regina Roland, but I'm a gentleman; I plan on properly wooing her," Roland scrunches his nose in that adorable way that reminds him so much of Marian.

"Are you alright with that son?" Roland tilts his head to the side, his tongue poking out in concentration before responding,

"I guess so…" Robin grins as he hoists the boy onto his hip, jiggling him around until it elicits a laugh from Roland.

"You've no need to worry my boy," Roland presses his head into his father's shoulder and nods.

"Come now; let's go have some breakfast with Regina and Henry, shall we?"

oOoOo

So Rumplestiltskin knew who she was…interesting. Zelena remains seated in her booth, though her eyes are trained on a Blonde woman walking into the diner with a young boy. She vaguely recalls him being with Regina the night she, Robin, and Roland came into town. Apparently, he's her son and she shares him with the Blonde, who is allegedly the savior, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. The woman, otherwise known as Emma, sees her staring and decides to make conversation.

"Hey, you finding things alright here?" She's got this look in her eyes, one that lets Zelena know that she has to be careful around this one.

"I'm fine, if you call being snatched from my home and thrust into a strange land with indoor plumbing and something called wifi, then sure," Zelena's eyes snap to Henry's when she hears him snigger.

"Storybrooke's a pretty interesting town but, you get used to it. Have you seen Robin and Roland?"

"Oh, they're-"

"Right here; Good Morning Emma, Henry," Robin and Roland stroll into the diner, both with wide grins on their faces.

"Regina said she wanted to have breakfast with you guys and Henry," Henry has scurried off with Roland, pointing out some of this new world's contraptions, which easily fascinate the young boy.

"She did; I saw her talking on this weird thing called a cell phone," Emma bites her lip to keep from laughing at Robin; she easily remembers how weird it was for her to be in the Enchanted Forest.

"You'll get used to cell phones, oh, Regina, there you are!" Zelena's head whips around at the sight of Regina. She has to reign in her disgust at how Robin stares at her lovingly; she's not even that pretty, she thinks to herself. She doesn't miss the way both young boys race towards her. So the two munchkins and the thief make her happy…interesting.

"Oh, Zelena, would you like to join us for breakfast?" Regina smiles at Zelena and it takes all of her power for her not to rip the other woman in half. However, when she notices Robin staring at her, she grins.

"I'd love to, thank you, Regina," She stands up and follows the group to another table. Emma lingers back, keeping her eyes on Zelena, noticing the tense body language between she and Robin. She doesn't say anything but her gut tells her that she should keep her eyes on them.

oOo

When Henry woke up that morning, he was excited about the fact that Robin Hood was back in Storybrooke. Robin and Roland being in town meant that his mother would have a chance at happiness. Still though, Henry was worried about the fact that his mom could possibly begin to love Robin and Roland more than she loved him. But Henry had hope, understood that his mother loved him; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to break the curse on Neverland. Henry had spent the night with Emma and his grandparents the night before. It was still taking time getting used to the fact that he now had three parents and would be splitting his time between them. He was happy finally having a dad, but as long as he got to spend the majority of his time with Regina, Henry was happy.

"Henry, your mom's on the phone," Mary Margret poked her head into the makeshift space that he been assigned as his and handed him the phone.

"Hey, mom!"

"Good Morning Henry! How'd you sleep?"

"Good, though it's still not the same as sleeping at the mansion," Regina sighed on the other end of the phone. The adjustment was wearing on both of them, but they were willing to try.

"I know sweetie; how would you like to have breakfast with Robin, Roland, and I?" Henry's smiled; not many kids got the privilege to say that they got to have breakfast with their hero.

"Sure!" Henry said as he and Regina chatted for a few more moments before hanging up. He was picking out his best outfit when Emma knocked on the door.

"Hey kid; where are you off to today?"

"Oh, mom called; she wanted me to have breakfast with her, Robin, and Roland," Emma looked shocked; she should have known that while Regina was generous to give she and Neal visitation with Henry that they couldn't have him every waking moment of the day. She took a deep breath to quell down on the frustration she felt pooling in her stomach. She shouldn't be mad, not with the hell she'd given Regina over the last year. Emma smiled at Henry; she was happy that Henry and Regina were finally making headways with their relationship.

"Why don't I walk you over to meet them?"

"Sure!" Henry grinned at Emma as quickly began getting dressed.

Today was gonna be a good day for sure.

oOo

Zelena could barely stomach how cute Regina was being with Robin. She'd heard stories of the great and powerful Evil Queen and now that she sat among her at breakfast, she didn't seem to be all that terrible. In fact, if Zelena were being honest the queen was simply…

Boring.

"Zelena, is everything alright?" Regina looked over at her in concern.

"What?"

"You've been wearing a scowl for the past ten minutes. Mom, her scowl kinda looks like yours," Henry said as Regina rolled her eyes.

"Are you sure you're alright Zelena?"

"I'm fine I'm just…thinking, that's all," Zelena locked eyes with Emma, who'd been studying her since they met earlier.

"I…this land, it's a bit much to adjust to," Zelena lied.

"I can see why you'd say that; you're accustomed to the Enchanted Forest and didn't have the luxury of being here as long as everyone else that came over with the curse. If you'd like, I can give you a tour of the town, show you how a few things work," Regina may have been talking to Zelena, but her eyes were trained on Robin, who agreed to this little 'tour' of Storybrooke.

Zelena wanted to scream, she wanted to use her magic and destroy Regina on the spot. It would be so easy to do so since she'd overheard talk about there being magic in town now that the Dark Curse had been broken. Still, she couldn't risk them finding out who she was, not yet anyways. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that this little tour of Storybrooke could be a good thing. Plus, with Gold in town she was bound to find a way to defeat the queen.

"I think a tour of the town would be lovely," Zelena said with a smile as Robin and Emma eyed her suspiciously.

"I can set one up for…"

"Actually, Regina; I can take Zelena on a tour of the town. I know how eager you are to have Robin all to yourself," Emma said, causing Henry to gag and Regina's cheeks to redden.

"While I'm flattered that you'd offer Miss Swan, I'd rather-"

"I can have a tour of the town anytime; I'd much rather spend time with you and our boys. They seem to be quite taken with one another, or rather one more with the other," Robin said, noting the way Roland watched Henry in amazement. It was quick that his little outlaw was becoming enamored with Henry.

"Plus, I believe I owe you a proper thank you for saving both me and my son," Robin's hand reached out to gently rub the top of Regina's hand.

"This is gross; c'mon Roland, we can get my mom to take us to the comic book store," Henry announced as he scooted out of his seat in the booth. Roland of course happily followed behind him as Emma smirked at the couple.

"C'mon Zelena, I can give you that tour of Storybrooke you wanted," Zelena glanced back at Robin and Regina, who were far too busy staring into one another's eyes.

"Fine, I'll see you around, Robin; don't worry, I'll keep an eye out on Roland," Zelena tossed Robin a wicked grin, which automatically sent a chill down his spine as he pulled away from Regina.

"Robin, are you okay?" Regina placed a hand on his shoulder as he stood.

"I should really be with Roland,"

"Roland will be fine; he's with Emma, Henry, and Zelena. What's the worst that could happen?" Robin paused, desperately wishing to tell her everything that Zelena had done, exactly who she was.

"I just…I only got him back a few days ago," Robin sighed; he couldn't tell her, not without putting Roland's life at risk.

"I understand; it's scary for me to let Henry out of my sight. But Emma is the savior, and I know she'll do everything she can to keep him safe. She'd do the same thing for Roland because she knows how important he is to you, and how important you are to me," Regina said as Robin glanced back at her in amusement.

"So, I'm important to you, am I your majesty?" Regina rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head before pulling him in for a kiss.

"Yes, you're very important to me Robin Hood,"

Zelena could see Regina and Robin kissing from the sidewalk; what a bunch of pathetic blokes, the Queen especially. She had no idea what havoc she was unleashing on Storybrooke. She laughed at the prophecy Glinda had given her. There was no way in hell that the Evil Queen was going to defeat her. No, she'd gone soft, found love and happiness and all that other crap that makes you weak. She was going to defeat the queen in the worst way possible and she was going to do it by ripping away everything she loved, starting with that pesky boy of hers.

All she had to do was rid herself of the savior...

 _Chapter 18 to follow…_


	19. Chapter 17

**Warning: this gets a little racy about towards the end, but nothing too explicit.**

* * *

Storybrooke is a…well, it's not what she would've cooked up had she been the one to cast the curse. It's too, happy and bright, a stark contrast to the grim and drill she'd imagined coming from the great and terrible Evil Queen…who doesn't seem all that terrible and she's sure as hell not that great. She's not even that pretty if she's honest; she can understand why the peasants in the Enchanted Forest favored Snow White over Regina.

She's distracted from her thoughts about how much she hates Regina at the sight of that Blonde savior, Emma Swan.

"Where do you wanna go first? The town's not that big so…" Emma gives her a slight shrug, though she doesn't miss the way she seems to be intently watching her.

"I dunno where to go; honestly, I was expecting this place to be a bit more…you know, dark and dreary,"

"Oh it was at first; you're not from…this world so to you this doesn't seem like much of a curse but trust me it was," She glances over and surprisingly finds Henry speaking to her.

"You were here for the curse?" This piece of information could be quite useful to her.

"Not the whole thing but, it wasn't that great; everyone kept repeating the same day over and over,"

"Hm. So how did you get here savior?" Zelena watches the way Emma subtly scratches at the back of her neck, as though she's apprehensive about telling her the details of her arrival in Storybook.

"Well, actually, Henry was the one that found me; I guess he was almost unaffected by the curse because he wasn't born in the Enchanted Forest,"

"So you left town then? Because I'd always heard that-"

"Emma, what's that?" Roland is pointing at a building across the street from them that reads _Any Given Sundae_

"Oh, that's the ice cream shop," Roland's eyes are full of wonder as Henry explains what ice cream is.

"What do you say Zelena, you up for some ice cream?" She notices the little smirk in Roland's eyes as they all make their way across the street.

Boy, did she have something planned for that little brat when she got him alone…

oOo

Robin was completely confused by the small metal looking carriage Regina escorted him to after their breakfast at Granny's. Of course, she found his confusion about her car as she called it, to be quite adorable.

"This land is quite…different," Robin mused as he sat on the front seat, buckling the long strap, otherwise known as a seatbelt, across his waist.

"It's actually not; a few hundred years ago, this place looked a lot like the Enchanted Forest,"

"Really?"

"Yes; they have what they have in this world because the people here created all of this,"

"It's all so…fascinating," Robin laughed as they passed by many different buildings, that soon transitioned into what he assumed were homes. After a few moments of driving, the car pulled into a yard with a house that on spot Robin knew was Regina's.

"It suits you," he said as he carefully climbed out of her car.

"Thank you; I wasn't sure where we should go; my office had little privacy and my vault was…well, I know how you feel about magic,"

"I'm sure your home is quite lovely, Regina, and anywhere else you would've taken me would've been fine as well,"

Regina simply gives Robin a small as she leads him inside her house.

oOo

Zelena is furious, downright furious! How dare that little brat try and stop her from finding out more information about Regina's curse. She's still scowling when Emma takes a seat next to her; this savior really is annoying.

"How's the ice cream?" Zelena looks down and finds that her green mint ice cream is almost melted at this point.

"It was nice,"

"Are you okay Zelena? You've been…I dunno, acting strange since we got here,"

"Well can you blame me? This is a strange land; sorry I'm not so quick to catch on to things like Roland over there," Zelena motions over to the opposite booth where Henry and Roland are engrossed in comic books and ice cream.

"I know it's difficult to get used to, and I'm sure you wanna go home but-"

"Like you wouldn't believe; this place is nothing like I imagined it would be," Zelena scoffs, wrapping her arms around herself.

"We can't let you go home; we're not sure about this Wicked Witch person and why she could possibly have beef with Regina,"

"Maybe the queen double-crossed her in the Enchanted Forest?" Zelena is eyeing Emma suspiciously.

"Nah, I know when Regina's lying and this time, she isn't,"

"And how can you be so sure about that?" Zelena raises an eyebrow as Emma speaks.

"I have a superpower; I can tell when people are lying, or when they're hiding something," Emma's eyebrow raises when she says the last part and it's almost enough to make Zelena think that she could be on to her.

Now, she definitely has to get rid of the savior.

"You know, I heard Henry saying that there was something called a park around here; I'd love to see it, if you don't mind," Emma watches her for a few more moments before motioning to the boys that they were headed to the park.

Zelena stood up with a grin; this would be too easy, what she wasn't telling Emma was that she'd overheard talk about Regina having a vault sealed with magic somewhere in the town. All she had to do was slip away from the savior long enough to find it and then the real fun would begin.

oOo

The fire is nice and warm as she and Robin sit in front of it; they're in her living room having a picnic in front of the fire. She's carefully laid out a nice throw cover on the floor along with an assortment of fruits and cheeses as well as a nice bottle of red wine. It's totally cheesy but, this is nice and it seems fairly neutral for what could easily be classified as their first date.

"I hope this isn't too much," Regina says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as Robin smiles back at her, carefully taking a sip of his wine.

"This is quite nice actually; I'm glad we're getting to do this,"

"Me too; I don't know how much time we'll have to do this with a Wicked Witch on the loose; I wonder what she wants with me?" Regina wonders aloud; of course, this would be the perfect time to tell her, leave her subtle clues, a casual slip of the tongue. Still, he cannot risk it, he will not put his son's life in danger. He's so caught up in his thoughts that he barely registers the way Regina's hand is gently rubbing against his stubble…almost.

"What are you thinking about?" She's giving him an easy smile, one that he's sure to think about whenever he closes his eyes.

"Nothing, just how beautiful you are milady," He boldly reaches out to stroke her cheek, slightly smirking at the way she shivers under his touch.

"Robin…" The air between them is suddenly thick; somehow they've moved into one another's personal space, unsure of where one's body ends and the other begins. His heart is pounding, as much as he wants to kiss her, he should really tell her about Zelena, but if he does, he risks losing his son forever. He sighs heavily and shakes his head, causing Regina to frown.

"What's wrong?" and oh, he hadn't meant to make her think that she was what was wrong, he carefully pulls her back towards him, gently cupping her face.

"I can't stop thinking about that Wicked Witch; if something were to happen to you…" She silences him with a kiss.

"Let's not think about her right now…" and there's something about the tender look in his eyes as he nods in agreement that takes Regina's breath away. The feelings churning in her stomach are so strong that she pulls back to stare at Robin in painful wonder.

"What is it?"

"I just never thought I'd have this," She tenderly presses her palm against his cheek as he brings his forehead to rest against hers.

"After I lost my wife, I felt like that for a long time; her death was my fault," Regina senses the pain in his voice and quietly offers her condolences before allowing him to continue.

"I would've walked through hell to be with my Marian again but…when I finally admitted to myself that she was gone and that she was never coming back, I had to let that guilt go,"

"My first love Daniel was killed because of me, because he loved me," He vaguely remembers her speaking of her first love and how he died.

"Regina, you can't blame yourself for Daniel's death," he's tried to assure her of this more than once but he knows how people can carry pain for so long, especially a loss of her magnitude.

"I know I shouldn't blame myself but…you're here and, I can't help but be afraid that…" She doesn't have to finish that sentence because he knows what she's thinking because he's had that same fear since he arrived in Storybrooke.

"Hey, let's not think about that right now; let's just focus on this moment, shall we?" Regina sees something, a certain glint in his eyes. It's a look that makes her heart somersault inside her chest. Throwing caution to the wind, Regina grips the lapels of his jacket, pulling him in for a fierce kiss. It surprises him of course, but he quickly recovers, running his hands through her hair, crushing her lips to his over and over again.

They need this, they both need it.

oOoOo

Their walk to the park is quiet; Henry and Roland are walking ahead of them with the former pointing out all sorts of new things to the former. Emma is…not exactly walking beside her, but she's still too close for Zelena's liking. She definitely suspects something; she had no intentions of killing the savior, at least, not this soon but it may come down to it.

"How come I've never heard of you before?"

"What?"

"I've read many stories about Robin Hood and I've never heard of him having a sister,"

"Well we all can't be the hero now, can we? Besides, I'm pretty sure your storybooks didn't talk about Roland either," Well, she's got Emma there.

"They didn't, but it was safe to assume that Robin and Maid Marian went on to have a couple of kids," Emma said with a shrug.

"So it was easy to imagine Robin with children but not with a life prior to becoming some storybook hero?"

"Well…yeah," Zelena scoffs; this savior most definitely had to go she mused to herself.

"What was he like growing up?"

"Who?"

"Robin; what was it like growing up and having a brother who would eventually become-"

"Robin was an ordinary kid, he didn't stand out very much; anything else you wanna know?" Emma comes to a stop, really staring at Zelena for a few moments.

"I didn't mean to stir up any hard feelings," Zelena lets out a sigh.

"I just…it gets kind of tiring to hear about your brother who's the prince of thieves that's all. I mean, you must get tired of hearing it yourself, what with you being the savior and all,"

"Yeah, I do but you get used to it," Emma says just as Henry calls for her attention; he wants to take Roland near the pond to see the ducks.

"Just be careful Henry," Zelena's eyes suddenly widen with excitement; this could be just the distraction she needs.

oOo

This is…thrilling.

It's been years since, practically forever since she's allowed a man to devour her in this type of way. Somehow she and Robin have ended up on her couch with him on top of her. Her stockings have long been discarded along with her shoes and her dress is hitched up near her belly. Robin is still fully clothed, though his pants are quite tight, mostly due to his straining erection. His ascot has also been tossed aside and his shirt is untucked as Regina's hands explore the warm flesh beneath.

They've both still agreed not to have sex, at least not until this Wicked Witch threat is secured but this is definitely nice. Robin's hands are carefully roaming along her thighs as he kisses along her neck. Their breathing is labored and heavy as their tongues tangle together again and again. It's making her body heat up with need, a need that she's trying so heavily to tamper down on but with each lazy pass of Robin's palm against her thighs, Regina loses all rational thought. Her head is pressed deep into the cushion of her couch as she blindly reaches for one of his hands, carefully wedging it between them so that he can feel the pooling heat that he created. Robin stills, pressing his forehead into her chest as he lets out a harsh breath.

"Christ Regina," He glances up at her for a few moments, asking for silent permission if he can touch her there.

He doesn't need to be told twice, a slight nod of the head all the go ahead he needs before his fingers are carefully pulling back lace to touch her. Not only is she slick with heat and need and want, but she's also silky, almost bare except for the faint traces of hair in the form of a thin strip that stops just above where she's aching for him. He stares into her eyes as he carefully explores the soft skin that's just underneath his palm. He watches her face light up with pleasure as his fingers dip below that silky patch of hair and become moist with her arousal. He explores her with the tenderness that you would with a newborn child, soft and careful petting, which only seems to frustrate and turn her on even more. By the time he begins to rub at her clit, his cock is throbbing with pain, in desperate need to be sheathed inside her, plunging into her over and over again until she's rhythmically clenching around him, coming over and over again. But he knows that they can't, she says they should wait until this Wicked With threat has been handled but it's so hard to wait, especially when she's allowing him to sample her goodness right now.

Apparently, Regina regrets the decision to wait as well, because her nimble fingers are soon finding their way into his trousers, tugging and twisting at his cock, bringing it some much-needed relief. Robin lets out a groan into the crook of her neck as his tongue licks at her skin. She even tastes delicious, a rich heady combination of apples, cinnamon, vanilla and some very distinct perfume he's not quite sure of. Robin shudders at the sound of her gasping moans as his hand goes bolder as he dips his fingers inside of her, daring to coat them with her arousal. They should stop, should definitely stop before he becomes too lost in this sea of Regina Mills and forgets being honorable and fucks this woman into oblivion on her couch. She continues to surprise him by shifting her hand down between them, gently urging him to touch her, to fuck her with his fingers.

"Are you sure love?" He sees it in her eyes, the swimming arousal, that desperate need by the tightness of her voice when she urges him,

"Yes, please," Robin groans in relief and together, they push his fingers into her, two, then three.

They both moan at the feel, the way her walls clench around him; God this is heaven, he can only imagine what it'll feel like when he's buried balls deep inside her. His fingers are slow in their approach, carefully seeking out that one place that will give her pleasure. It doesn't take him long to find it if the wanton moan of his name is any indication. He's intent on watching her, not bothered by the fact that her hand has slipped away from tugging and stroking his cock. This is what he needs, to watch her come undone at just the feel of his hands pressed deep inside her. He focuses on her soft, swollen lips, kissing them gently over and over again as her moans go straight to his cock.

He's trying very hard not to think about the fact that she just may make him come from this, no stimulation to his cock, but by simply bringing her pleasure. Of course, he'd love nothing more than to rub one off or have her mouth or hands wrapped around him, pumping (sucking) him til he comes. However, he manages to restrain himself; he wants her to have this moment, where her hips are grinding into his hand as her moans become tight and high pitched. He feels it, she's right on the edge of a blissful climax when that stupid communication contraption of hers begins to ring and doesn't appear to be stopping anytime soon. He hates to pull her out her euphoric bliss but he relents, groans at the stickiness of his hand as she shifts to answer the phone. God, he hopes that this call is quick, but he needs to see her fall over the edge. However, the look in her eyes when she ends the call lets him know that it'll have to wait.

"That was Emma, something's happened,"

It takes him a second to register what she's saying, because she's moving so fast, mumbling about where her stockings and shoes are as she tosses him his ascot.

"What's going on?"

"Emma said that there was an incident with Henry and Roland and-"

That's all he needs to hear; something's happened with his son. He's up in seconds, rushing towards the door until he feels Regina's hand on his shoulder.

"Roland's fine Robin, but Zelena…she's missing," Robin sighs heavily as he thinks about that bloody witch. He instantly feels guilt for being with Regina instead of keeping a more watchful eye on his son and that woman. If something's happened to Roland or she does something to try and harm Regina…

"Where is she?"

"Emma doesn't know but she said that she felt magic…does Zelena have magic, Robin?" There's a look of concern in her eyes when she asks the question. This is it, the moment of truth; wherever Zelena is, she's most likely about to unleash whatever havoc she has planned for Regina. He opens his mouth to tell her that yes, she does have magic and exactly who she is but he doesn't have time. Regina is pulling away from him, her eyes full of shock at she lets out a quiet gasp.

"Regina, what is it?"

"My vault…someone's inside my vault,"

 _Chapter 20 to follow…_

* * *

 **Just one more chapter (maybe two) before we reach the missing year! I hope you all enjoyed that tiny bit of Outlaw Queen because it'll be the last you get for a while…**


	20. Chapter 18

**Zelena's got a couple new tricks up her sleeve…just saying.**

* * *

Emma knows that something is off with Zelena, she just doesn't know what it is. She's noticed it since the second she came into town with Robin and Roland. She's never heard anything about Robin Hood having a sister, but she can't say that she's lying because again, she's never really heard anyone talk about Robin Hood. She could ask her parents but, there's no guarantee that they know much of Robin Hood. She certainly can't ask Regina, because after what she put her through in terms of Henry and how she treated her in Neverland…yeah, that would only be a recipe for disaster. So the only thing she can go on is her gut, and right about now, her gut is telling her not to trust Zelena. They're currently taking a walk through the park; Henry has walked further ahead with Roland, leaving Emma to walk with Zelena. Zelena is currently brooding, though Emma notices her quick mood change when Henry asks her if he can take Roland near the pond to feed the ducks.

"You've been awfully quiet," Emma tries to keep the conversation casual, though Zelena doesn't seem to be paying any attention. Her eyes are closed and she's breathing deeply.

"Zelena, are you okay?" Emma tentatively places a hand on Zelena's shoulder, though just as she's about to repeat herself, there's a scream coming from near the pond.

Emma races towards the pond where Roland has somehow fallen in; Zelena remains in place, her eyes closed as she breathes deeply.

By the time Emma comes back, completely freezing from the pond water, Zelena is gone.

oOo

Robin is frantic as he tries to wrap his mind around the idea that Zelena is missing and something has happened to his son. He's jarred from this thoughts when Regina's arms on his shoulders; there's a look in her eyes, one he doesn't like.

"Robin, does Zelena have magic?" He should answer her, should be truthful; it's not like Zelena can do him anymore harm, and if Regina and the heroes put two and two together then what he says won't matter.

"She…I…"

"It's a simple yes or no; does she or does Zelena not have magic?!" Her patience is wearing thin he can tell, but he has to think of his son. He only just got him back, and he's the only real part of Marian he has left. So with a guilty heart, Robin lies.

"No, I don't, I don't think she does; why do you ask?"

"Because Emma said that something was off with Zelena and now she's missing and someone's in my vault," His heart aches but he remains resolute in his lie.

"No, Regina; Zelena doesn't have any kind of magic, not that I know of," Regina sighs and shakes her head before teleporting them to the park.

Robin instantly rushes towards a now cold and crying Roland while Regina makes her way over to Emma and Henry.

"Something's up with Zelena; I swore I felt magic," Emma's voice is quiet as she and Regina move away from Robin and Roland.

"I know; I felt it too; someone was in my vault but, that's…impossible," Regina's brow furrows as Emma tilts her head to the side.

"How is that impossible?"

"My vault is sealed by blood magic; there's no way anyone can get into that vault unless they're related to me, and everyone is my family is dead," Regina shakes her head.

"You don't think Zelena…"

"No, Robin said she doesn't have any magic," Emma nods, not wanting to upset Regina by suggesting that Robin could be lying to her.

"Maybe it's Gold,"

"No; why would Gold wanna go in my vault? Everything I have he's got something more powerful than,"

"Why would Gold do anything he's done to us lately?" Emma asks, raising an eyebrow.

"No, Gold wouldn't do something like break into my vault; it would ruin what little trust he's got with Neal," Regina turns around and sighs heavily; who the hell could be in her vault, and what could they possibly want?

oOo

Zelena had a plan that would most definitely keep the savior distracted for a while. She stood there next to Emma, who was working her nerves more and more by the second. She had to focus; she wanted to see just what was in Regina's vault. Surely there had to be something in there that she could use to destroy her. Zelena took a deep breath and closed her eyes, calling forth her magic. This was the one useful thing she'd gotten from that stupid Fairy all those years ago; the ability to astral project.

Still, she couldn't very well astral project and throw Roland into the water herself. She had to be clever about it; she couldn't let the boy, Henry catch on to what she was doing. Suddenly, Zelena became so thankful that she'd traveled many realms, ciphering people's powers from them, something she planned to use to her full advantage. She felt spirit leave her body before her feet landed in the water. When she opened her eyes, she could see Roland happily running along the edge of the pond. Having shape shifted into a duck, she waddled her way up to where the boy was. Roland of course was fascinated by the new creature he saw and followed her to the water's edge.

"Come back, I just wanna play!" Roland's voice was joyful as his tiny feet splashed into the pond water.

"Roland, be careful!" Henry was walking at a slow pace towards him, though Roland was intent on following the duck into the pond; this was exactly what Zelena wanted.

From a distance, Zelena could see Emma making her way towards the pond as well; this was going to too easy. Once she'd lured Roland far enough out into the pond water, the duck he'd been chasing had disappeared, and so did Zelena. When she was sure both Emma and Henry were occupied with a now screaming Roland, she casually teleported herself to where she felt magic pulsating. When she opened her eyes, she found herself standing outside of a crypt. However, once she got a few feet in front of it, she reached out a hand, expecting to find a force field of some sort but surprisingly, there was none. While it appeared too easy, Zelena was cautious as she made her way into the crypt. She paused when she saw the coffin labeled 'Henry Mills'. As she ran her hand atop of it, it didn't appear to be a real coffin, and the fact that she could so easily push it aside was another dead giveaway. She carefully made her way down the steps and shivered a bit; Regina's crypt was colder than she'd imagined.

"Stop right there dearie," Zelena looked up at the sound of Rumpelstiltskin's voice.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Zelena asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I should be asking you the very same question," Rumple replied, looking rather bored.

"We both know what I'm doing down here; Glinda's prophesy,"

"Ah yes, the prophesy that said you'd be defeated by the Evil Queen," Rumple lazily raised an eyebrow in amusement as Zelena growled.

"She's not that great and terrible; this town, this curse is a joke. Now if she wants to see a real curse then…" Zelena's eyes scanned the room carefully in search of something, anything she could use to destroy Regina.

"You won't find much of anything here that's useful," Rumple warned, though Zelena brushed him off as she moved towards the shelves.

"It appears you've been caught; Regina can feel your magic inside her vault," Zelena looked up from one of the viles in her hand.

"And how is it that she doesn't feel yours?"

"Because I am much more clever than you; this place is sealed with blood magic, how did you manage to get inside?" Rumple asked, tilting his head to the side, though he had a pretty good guess as to how.

"Perhaps I'm just smarter than Regina, which is why you should've picked me to cast your curse," Zelena snarled.

"I picked exactly who I wanted, someone who I knew wouldn't lose her cool over the slightest thing, someone whose jealousy wouldn't ruin my plans," Rumple said as Zelena snorted.

"If you don't think that Regina was jealous of Snow White then-"

"Now that's where you're wrong; you shouldn't be so keen to jump on the quickest bandwagon of gossip you hear dearie," Rumple said as he made his way towards Zelena, getting close enough so that there were mere inches between them.

"Whatever you think you have planned for Regina, leave my family out of it, though I'm not really worried about you doing much," he said, reaching out to tauntingly touch Zelena's cheek, though she quickly grabbed his hand and snatched it away.

"I'm going to make you regret those words, and I'm especially going to make you pay for not choosing me all those years ago!" Rumple simply shook his head.

"You're only further proving why not choosing you was the best choice I could've made," with that, he disappeared from the vault.

Zelena looked around, more determined than ever to find something to destroy Regina with. It wasn't until her eyes landed on scroll that she knew exactly how she'd do it.


	21. Chapter 19

**I apologize for the long wait; college graduation is fast approaching and that is where my focus has been. But here we are ladies and gents, the penultimate chapter before we head into the Missing Year. This chapter will more than likely be a fairly short chapter; we're mostly tying up some loose strings. Outlaw Queen Fans, I have to warn you now that from this point on there's gonna be angst for Robin and Regina; chapter 17 was the last OQ goodness for a while, so hold on to that!**

 **Xx**

* * *

Zelena stood in the middle of Regina's vault, a small scroll in her hand and a triumphant smile on her face.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Zelena tilts her head to the side as she pulls the scroll apart; revealing not just a curse, but _the_ curse, the very curse Regina had used to bring everyone to Storybrook.

"Well Regina, looks you're not as smart as Rumple likes to believe you are; otherwise, you wouldn't have left something so powerful just carelessly lying around for me to find," Zelena laughed wickedly as she read over the curse.

"Hm. Looks I'll need to tweak this a little bit, seeing as I can't crush the heart of the thing I have most, and using Regina's heart would totally defeat the purpose of my needing to destroy her. But I'm sure I can substitute a few things to create something far worse than she did," Zelena carefully held the scroll in her hands and smiled wickedly.

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy tearing you to bits with this curse," With a flicker of her hands, Zelena disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

oOo

"Well, did you find anything?" Regina paced back and forth across her living room floor; the heroes had gathered at her house to try and figure out exactly what Zelena was up to.

"No, I'm sorry Regina, I can't find anything about Zelena in here," Belle looked up at her with sad eyes, wishing she knew more. She'd spent hours in Gold's shop trying to find something but had come up short.

"This is completely ridiculous! No one just…disappears into thin air," Regina ran a hand through her hair in frustration.

"Regina, we don't even know if it was Zelena," Snow attempted to soothe as Regina brushed her off.

"It had to be her; Emma said she felt magic! And I felt it when I went into my vault,"

"Robin, you're sure Zelena doesn't have any magic?" David turned to the only person who would know Zelena best.

Robin felt torn, he couldn't keep lying to Regina and everyone else; but he couldn't risk telling them anything, not knowing that Roland's life was tethered to Zelena and she could kill him with a snap of her fingers.

"No, I'm sorry; she's never, there's no way she has magic," Robin sighed as Emma stared at him intensely.

"He's lying," Emma's voice was firm as everyone turned to look at her.

"Emma if Robin says he she doesn't have magic then-"

"No, Regina I do this for a living; I can tell when someone is lying and Robin, he's definitely lying," Emma marched toward him, staring him hard in the face.

"Robin, if you know anything then-"

"Stop it just…stop! Robin would never lie to me, not about something like this. So if Robin says he's not lying then he's not lying," Regina moved to stand in front of him, her eyes boring into his.

"Robin, if you know anything about whether or not Zelena has anything planned then please, _please_ tell us," She gently grabbed his hands, holding them in her own. His heart began to beat faster as he thought about Roland.

"Regina, I…"

"Robin, do you know something? Please, tell me what it is Zelena wants from us," Robin sighed heavily, closing his eyes as he rested his brow against Regina's. He glanced over at Roland, who'd been sitting with Snow White on the sofa. What Zelena had done to him was terrifying, but imagining a life without Roland in it was far worse. Yes, he felt things for Regina and his tattoo foretold of a prophesy that said they were destined to be together. Still, he could not lose his son; Roland was the only thing in his life that kept him going every day. He was also the last tie he had to Marian. Taking another glance at Roland, Robin made the most painful decision he could.

"Regina, I am so sorry, but I have to go," With that, he pulled away from her and quickly grabbed his son and left.

oOoOo

Regina stood still as Robin grabbed Roland and walked away. This was not happening; she had not been deceived by a man she'd given her heart to. There was just no way this was happening, sadly, Robin leaving was confirmation. Everyone was silent after Robin left, though it was Emma who moved toward her first.

"Regina-" She quickly recoiled away from Emma's touch.

"Regina…" Snow tried, but before the princess could make a move Regina disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

She needed answers, and there was only one person who could give them to her; the stupid fairy who put her in this predicament in the first place.

"Regina, what are you doing here?" Blue was in front of her, her eyes filled with fear and with contempt.

"Tinkerbell, where is she?"

"She's-"

"Right here; Regina, what's-" Regina didn't give the fairy time to react before she sent her flying across the room.

"Regina, stop!" Blue shouted, though Regina froze her in place with her magic.

"Wh-wha, what's wrong?" Tink was on the ground, slowly crawling towards a wall.

"You did this; you brought Robin into my life!" Tinkerbell could see the pain, the anger in her eyes and immediately knew something was wrong.

"What's going on? Is Robin okay?"

"Robin is working with Zelena; he's hiding something from me. You said he was my soulmate, you tried to make me go after him in that tavern, you told me to give him a chance in Neverland and now look at what's happened! There's a Wicked Witch who's out to kill me and Robin's working with her!" Tinkerbell shook her head slowly; no, there was no way, there was just no way.

"Regina, what did Robin say?" Tink's voice was gentle, trying to make sense of what was going on.

"He didn't say anything! Instead of telling me the truth, he picked up Roland and left! When we asked him if he knew what Zelena had planned, he ran away! You brought him here; you couldn't leave well enough alone! You had to go and ruin my life twice!"

"Regina, him running away could mean anything!" Tinkerbell stood up, though she braced herself against the wall for purchase; she was still a bit weak from being thrown across the room.

"Or, it could mean he's working with her and they've been planning this the entire time!"

"You don't know what they're planning or if he's even part of it. Maybe she tricked him? Maybe she threatened him, did you think about that? Regina, I've seen how he looks at you and-"

"Bullshit! Robin lied! He lied and he's working with Zelena. You said that I could be happy, you said that this was true love but it isn't!" Regina towered over the young fairy who understood just how ruthless the queen could be, but Tink was strong; she could take whatever Regina threw at her.

"I know what this is; you're scared that this might not work out between you and Robin. You don't know why he ran off and you didn't ask why. Instead, you came here to try and blame me for this,"

"Because it's your fault! If you hadn't brought Robin to me in the first place-"

"Robin may not have come into your life when I thought he was supposed to, but him coming back into your life after all these years has to mean something! If you go back, if you run away from Robin again it will only bring you destruction!" Tink called out as Regina turned and walked away.

"Think about Henry!" It was the one thing she could do to make her stop.

"Think about this Regina; think about how hard you've worked, think about what this will do to Henry. Regina, please don't do something you're going to regret later," Tink's eyes were pleading, but she couldn't get through to her.

"When I find him, he's dead," With that, Regina disappeared once again in a cloud of smoke.

oOoOo

Robin had to move quickly; there had to be a way out of this bloody town, a way to keep his son safe.

"Papa, why'd we leave?" Roland stood in the middle of their room at Granny's looking completely confused.

"We're going home m'boy, back to the Enchanted Forest," Robin said as he gathered the few meager items he and Roland had.

"But why papa? I like it here with Regina and Henry!" Robin looked at his son; he seemed to be okay after Zelena tried to drown him but, he couldn't risk anything else happening to him.

"I enjoy being here too, but remember what I told you about Zelena?" Roland nodded seriously.

"Well, Zelena is about to do something bad; so we have to leave," Robin hoisted Roland onto his hip before heading for the door.

"But papa, we can't just leave Henry and Regina behind," Robin stood in the doorway and sighed heavily.

Roland was right; he had feelings for Regina and he didn't want anything to happen to her or Henry. Still, though, he had to think about Roland. He would never forgive himself if something happened to his boy. He also thought about Marian; Roland was the only connection left to her. He knew that Marian would want him to protect Roland at all costs, even if it meant hurting Regina.

"We'll come back for them, I promise," Robin lied; however just as he placed his hand on the door, Zelena opened it.

"Going somewhere?" Zelena chuckled, though her eyes were trained on Roland.

"Please, I didn't say anything to her, I promise,"

"No, you didn't; but I can't let you leave without seeing what's in store for her," With a wave of her hand, Roland disappeared from his arms, practically into thin air.

"Where is he!? What did you do to him?!"

"Relax, he's fine," Zelena said, waving her hand dismissively.

"He's fine!? He's bloody disappeared!?"

"And he'll be returned to you as soon as everything is over," Robin frowned at Zelena's words.

"After what's over? What do you have planned?"

"I'm going to destroy the Evil Queen once and for all," Zelena smirked triumphantly.

oOoOo

"Regina, I'm sorry," Snow White's voice was sympathetic as the two stood inside of Regina's house. She had returned shortly after her talk with Tinkerbell proved to be unsuccessful.

"I trusted him and he just…" Regina did her best not to cry as she ran a hand through her hair.

"We'll find them, Regina; we'll find them both," Emma's hand is gentle on her shoulder as she speaks.

The rest of Emma's promise was lost when there was a loud banging on the front door, which David quickly answered.

"We'll find him, Regina; and when we do, I won't stop you from ripping his heart out," Emma tried to keep the mood light but immediately regretted it.

"Shit, I didn't mean to-"

"No, Emma, it's fine; I've learned that villains really don't get happy endings," Regina murmured just as David walked back into the living area, Grumpy and a few of the fairies trailing behind him.

"David, what's going on?" Snow White's brow rose in confusion.

"It's Zelena…" David sighed.

"What's going on?" Regina straightened her spine, ready for a fight.

"She wants you to meet her in the middle of Main Street in ten minutes,"

"And if I don't?"

"She's said she's gonna start killing people, starting with your boy toy," Grumpy informed her.

"She can have Robin," Regina said as Snow turned to face her step mother.

"Regina, you don't mean that…"

"He lied to me! He knew exactly who she was and he…whatever happens between Zelena and I, if Robin ends up a casualty, then so be it," Regina rolled her shoulders before popping her neck as she headed for the door.

"Make sure Henry stays safe," With that, she disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

oOoOo

There was already a small crowd starting to gather in the middle of Main Street as Zelena waited for Regina to show up. She knew that she'd eventually show; there was no way that Zelena could harass citizens of Storybrooke and hold Robin hostage and Regina not step in to save them. Still, it was getting late and Zelena was growing impatient.

"You'd think that your beloved queen would've shown by now," Zelena looked around at the crowd, which seemed to be growing as the minutes passed.

"If she doesn't show in the next few minutes then-"

"Then what?" The crowd slowly parted down the middle as Regina and the heroes made their way towards her.

"Regina, how nice of you to join us!" Zelena's hands clapped with glee at the sight of the other woman.

"Regina, we don't even know what she wants," Snow whispered.

"I know what she wants and what she's doing; I have a plan to stop her," Regina said quietly.

"Care to let the rest of us know what that plan is?" David murmured, though Regina ignored him, walking directly towards Zelena.

"Well, aren't you going to ask what it is I'm doing here?" Zelena stood with a hand on her hip, not failing to notice the pain in Regina's eyes when she glanced at Robin.

"Fine, what do you want Zelena?" Regina sighed

"Well first off, I failed to mention that Robin isn't really my brother!"

"I'm painfully aware of that," Regina said, her eyes focused only on Zelena.

"Aww, I'm sorry; I know how much Robbie-"

"Robin doesn't mean anything to me," Regina quickly replied.

"Regina, I'm sorry," Robin said, hoping that he could say something, anything to get through to her.

"I don't think she wants to hear that; she's far too upset that you brought me here," Zelena said glancing back at him.

"We both know that I didn't willingly bring you here!" Robin shouted.

"Really? Then pray tell how did I know where to find Regina and how important she was to you?" Zelena's eyes held a warning; if Robin said the wrong thing that Roland's life would end.

"Yes Robin, exactly how _did_ Zelena find me?" Regina tilted her head to the side, willing to go along with their little charade but still wanting to know just how involved Robin was in all of this.

"Regina, I really am sorry, but I can't tell you that," Regina rolled her eyes in disgust at Robin before turning her attention back to Zelena.

"What are you doing here, and what the hell do you want with me? We've never met until now," Regina's hands were on her hips; her patience growing thin, and fast.

"You're right; we've never met until now but that doesn't mean I don't know who you are. After all, we were both fortunate enough to share the same teacher," Zelena started a slow pace as she began circling Regina.

"Rumple taught you?"

"Why, of course he did; did you think you were the only one darling?" Zelena laughed before she continued,

"So that's what this was about? You're jealous that Rumple trained me to cast his curse?" Regina laughed as Zelena glowered at her.

"If you think that's what this is about then you're sadly mistaken,"

"Alright then, humor me; exactly what the hell is this all about?"

"It is about Rumple but not completely; as far as him training me goes, he didn't train me for long. He said I didn't have what it took to cast his curse, even though he admitted that I was much stronger, much more powerful than you ever would be. You see, I was born with magic so it all came natural to me. He taught me just enough to get by but you, you he taught and molded you into the pathetic little waste you are today. I mean, look at you Regina; you created a town that was nothing more than a fancy form of running away. You didn't ruin their lives, you made them better; you gave them inside toilets and water that didn't come from a well. The Dark Curse was supposed to be the curse of all curses and what did you use it for? You used it because you were too weak to rip out Snow White's heart when you had the chance, and for what? Because she tattled on you and cost you some stupid little stable-" Zelena's words were cut as she became suspended in mid-air thanks to Regina's magical chokehold.

"You may think you know me greenie, but you have no idea what I'm capable of. You've only heard stories about the Evil Queen, but you've never seen her up close," Slowly, Regina lowered Zelena to the ground; a smirk of satisfaction moving across her face as she watched Zelena rub at her neck, doing all she could to suck in the proper amount of air.

"Now, I'm going to ask you again; what the hell do you want from me?" Zelena stood up, straightening her clothes out a bit.

"That was cute, but I can do better than that…but I won't, there's no need. Soon, you'll all be dead,"

"And exactly how do you plan on doing that?"

"Simple; you asked me what I wanted from you, and what I want is to destroy you. In order to do it, I'm going to use this," With that, Zelena opened her hand and in it appeared a small scroll.

"Do you know what this is Regina?" The queen immediately swore under her breath; she knew exactly what it was Zelena held in her hand.

"How did you…my vault is sealed with blood magic! There's no way in hell you should've been able to break into my vault and stole that!"

"I told you, I'm a much better witch than you," Zelena smirked.

"Regina, what is that?" Emma asked.

"Regina?" Snow prompted

"Since you won't tell them, I will: this scroll has the ability to undo Regina's first curse. That's right; she's had the power to send you all home for the last 28 years. And since I'm a far smarter witch than she is, I figured out a way to tweak it a bit, at least, enough to work to my advantage. You see, all I have to do is-" Zelena began as the scroll disappeared from her hand.

"What the-"

"Looking for this?" Emma swan teased, holding the scroll in her hand as Zelena began to see red.

"You give that back to me right now!" Zelena shouted as Emma shook her head.

"Sorry, I don't think so; Regina, catch," Emma said as she tossed the scroll to Regina, who caught it with ease. Though once she had the scroll in her hand it felt too easy; too…anti climactic.

"Ooh, that was clever, but not quite clever enough," Zelena said as she disappeared into a cloud of green smoke.

"Something's wrong; this was too easy," Regina murmured.

"She wanted us to have the scroll, but why? What does she have planned?" Emma asked as Regina held the scroll for a few moments before collapsing onto the ground.

oOoOo

Zelena stood in the middle of the forest at the wishing well completely furious. Her curse was almost complete; all she needed was the scroll and that stupid savior had taken it away from her. She watched as green smoke poured from the well, slowly seeping to the ground, engulfing everything it touched. Several feet away tied up to a nearby tree, Robin tried desperately to get away.

"What the bloody hell was that about?" Robin shouted.

"Oh hush up you!" Zelena leaned forward, her eyes looking into the old wishing well.

"That was perhaps the dumbest thing you've ever done," Zelena looked up at the sound of Rumplestiltskin's voice.

"Don't worry, I'll figure something out; I'll get that scroll back," Zelena said, not bothering to look at him.

"You have no idea what that scroll can do," Rumple shook his head slowly before using his magic to free Robin.

"I knew enough to tweak the curse to use it to my advantage, didn't I?" Zelena jutted out her chin in defiance; she would not allow Rumplestiltskin to belittle her, not when she was so close to winning.

"You may have been able to tweak it to make the curse work for you here, but there's one thing that Regina knows about curses that you don't,"

"And what's that?"

"That all curses can be broken," Rumple said Zelena scoffed.

"I knew that too,"

"Ah but what you don't know is how to break this curse; you see, there's a reason I chose Regina to cast my curse and not you…you were so revenge laden that you missed important lessons,"

"Such as?" Zelena drawled.

"That no matter how you tweak this curse, no matter how much you change it, there's only one way to break it," Rumple made his way closer to Zelena, so close that their faces nearly touched.

"I told you when I realized who you were that I wanted no parts of what you had planned for Regina; now that she's got that scroll and is willing to break the curse, you've pulled me and my family into your mess and now, you're gonna have to pay for that," Rumple said nothing else before disappearing into a cloud of dark red smoke. Zelena knew that pissing off Rumple wasn't smart, but maybe he needed to be punished also? Whatever way this curse was broken was obviously bad if it had Rumple seeking her out to threaten her. Zelena stood straighter before turning her attention to Robin.

"Well, it looks like plans have changed; you might wanna hold on to the little brat for as long as you can," Zelena said before causing Roland to materialize out of thin air and into Robin's arms.

"What the bloody hell have you done?" Robin asked as he held his son close.

"I don't know, but whatever the breaking of that curse is, I'm glad Regina has that scroll. Now, she's about to ruin her ownself and Rumplestiltskin," Zelena laughed before disappearing into a cloud of smoke.

"Papa, what's happening?" Roland asked as a dark cloud appeared over Storybrooke.

"I don't know m'boy…"

oOoOo

By the time Regina opened her eyes again, she was surrounded by several people who instantly had questions.

"Regina, are you alright?" Snow asked as David helped her to her feet.

"I'm fine; where's Henry?" Regina desperately looked around for her son who immediately rushed into her arms as she held him close.

"Regina, what happened, you fainted and then…"

"Regina saw exactly what the scroll wanted her to see," Rumple said as he casually strolled towards everyone.

"What's happening?" Neal asked his father, who looked remorseful.

"When I gave Regina that curse, it came with a price, a deadly one," Rumple said.

"What's the price, Regina? All magic comes with a price; so what's our price?" Emma asked.

"It's not our price, it's mine," Regina said with a sigh.

"What are you talking about?" Emma's face was slightly scrunched in confusion.

"It's what I felt when I first held it; I have to say goodbye to the thing I love most," Regina said as a realization washed over Emma.

"Henry?"

"I can never see him again; I have no choice, I have to undo what I started,"

"The curse that brought us to Storybrooke," Snow suddenly understood.

"That created Storybrooke; it doesn't belong here, and neither do any of us."

"Breaking the curse destroys the town," Charming said as he too realized what was about to happen.

"It will rip out of existence as though it were never here, and everyone will go back to where they're from, prevented from ever returning," Regina said as she hung her head, doing her best not to cry.

"Then, we'll go back to the Enchanted Forest," Emma said slowly.

"All of us, except Henry; he will stay here because, he was born here,"

"Alone?" Emma had pulled Henry close; he couldn't be left alone, they'd only just found each other.

"No, you'll take him, because you're the savior; you were created to break the curse, and once again you can escape it," Regina said, the irony of everything that had happened in the last 28 plus years washing over her.

"I don't want to; we'll both go back with everyone,"

"That's not an option; I can't be with him. If I don't pay the price none of this will work. And there's no telling what Zelena has cooked up with this thing,"

"Emma you have to go!" Snow said tearfully; she hated this, saying goodbye to the daughter she just found after so long, but Regina was right. There was no telling what Zelena had in store for them if Regina didn't pay the price.

"I just found you," Emma whispered, still holding on to Henry.

"And now it's time for you to leave us again; for you best chance, for his," Snow told her.

"No, no I'm, not done, I'm the savior, right? I'm supposed to bring back all the happy endings, that's what Henry always says," Emma was confused, and hurt, and downright scared. How could she be forced to leave behind the home she'd been searching for, the family she'd wanted her entire life?

"Happy endings aren't always what we think they will be. Look around you, you've touched the lives of everyone here," Snow explained as Emma looked around at everyone, though her eyes focusing on both Hook and Neal.

"But we're family," Emma muttered, doing her best not to cry.

"Yes, and we always will be, you gave us that,"

"You and Henry can be a family and you can get your wish; you can be like everyone else, you can be happy," Charming said; he too hated leaving his daughter behind after just reconnecting with her but he understood what this meant. He understood that Emma had survived 28 years without them, and she came back to them. He just had to have faith that she could do it again.

"It's time for you to believe in yourself Emma; it's time for you to find hope," Snow said with a smile.

"I've known you for some time; and all I've wanted was for you to get the hell out of my life so I could be with my son. But really what I want, is for Henry to be happy, we have no choice; you have to go," Emma stood looking at Regina, this woman she'd for so long saw as a monster, but now as she looked at her, she saw a friend, a mentor, an ally of sorts, but most importantly, she saw a woman willing to do anything for her son.

In that moment, Regina was a mother; so, with a heavy heart, Emma nodded and whispered,

"Okay,"

oOoOo

Word quickly spread of what Regina was going to do; some were happy with this news and some were not. Many wondered just what fate awaited them back in the Enchanted Forest. Still, though, everyone stood at the town line just after midnight, prepared to say their final goodbyes to the town and to the life they'd come to love so much. While everyone was uncertain of Zelena's fate, they were sure that she couldn't escape the fate of the curse, and that she too would be returned to wherever it was that she came from. The heroes, along with Regina and Rumple, had decided that once everyone was back in the Enchanted Forest, they would deal with Zelena then. Now, though, all they wanted was to say goodbye to Henry.

"Neal, I'm sorry," She wanted to say goodbye to him first; she at least owed him that much after dragging him here.

"Don't be; you gotta get our boy the hell outta here," Neal said as coolly as possible, though he was desperately hurting inside,

"But you have to go back there," Neal said nothing as he pulled Emma in for a long embrace.

"Hey, this isn't over, I'll see both of you again," He said before quietly saying his own goodbyes to Henry.

"That's quite the vessel you captain there, Swan; there's not a day that won't go by that I won't think of you," Hook did his best to keep his voice from shaking; he'd started to fall very fast and very hard in love with Emma Swan. She was the first lass to ever get this close to him since Milah. She was a fiery one, yes, and he was sad that she had to be taken away from him so soon.

"Good," Emma whispered before Regina quietly pulled her to the side.

"Emma, there's something I haven't told you,"

"What now?" Emma was emotionally drained, having to say goodbye to her parents, to the people in this town who had become like her friends, and to the two men that were vying for her heart.

"When the curse washes over us, it will send us all back; nothing will be left behind. Including your memories, it's just what the curse does. Storybrooke will no longer exist, it won't _ever_ have existed. So these last years, will be gone from both your memories, and we'll just go back to being stories again," Regina hated springing this on her at the last minute but, she knew this was what had to be done.

"What will happen to us?" Emma wondered.

"I don't know,"

"That doesn't sound much like a happy ending,"

"It's not, but I can give you one,"

"You can preserve our memories?" Emma looked hopeful for a moment.

"No, but I can do what I do what I did to everyone else in this town, and give you new ones,"

"You cursed them and they were miserable," Emma said growing annoyed; this really sucked.

"They didn't have to be. My gift to you, is good memories, a good life for you, and Henry. You'll have never given him up; you'll have always been together," Regina said tearfully.

"You'd do that?" Emma said in awe; Regina continued to amaze and intrigue her.

"When I stop this curse, and you cross that town line, you'll have the life you always wanted,"

"But it won't be real," Emma said sadly

"Your past won't, but your future will; now go, there isn't much time and the curse will be here any minute," Regina said as she pulled Henry close, giving him one final kiss just as Snow and Charming came forward to say their final goodbyes to Emma.

Everyone stood solemnly as they watched Emma's yellow bug cross the town line. With shaky hands, Regina tore the incantation of the curse from the scroll, balling it up, reciting old forgotten Elvish as the curse evaporated into a purple magic that radiated from her hands. She tearfully lifted her hands into the air, just as the last of the curse surrounded everyone at the town line, carrying them all back to a land and fate they were unsure of.

 _Part II to follow…_

* * *

 **Aaanddd…we're off to the Missing Year, which, I happen to think you all are going to enjoy VERY much! Again, I'm sorry it took me so long; the first chapter of the Missing Year has already been started, so it shouldn't take me too long to finish and upload it. I'm excited to see where this story goes!**

 **Happy Reading!**

 **Xx**


	22. Part II: The Missing Year

**Here we are; the first chapter of the Missing Year! I must warn you all that for the most part, what happens in the Missing Year is largely AU. You'll recognize a few things from the show, but not that many. Also, yes, Regina and Zelena are sisters, but currently, they don't know that. Remember, Zelena only knows of a prophecy from Glinda the Good Witch that said she'd be defeated by the Evil Queen. How we find out about Regina and Zelena's connection will come in later chapters. Also, there's death, quite a bit of death and lots of sadness in the Missing Year…but there are good moments too, I promise.**

 **I hope you all enjoy,**

 **Xx**

* * *

oOoOo

Regina could still faintly see Emma's yellow bug as it rolled away from the town line. As the curse clouds engulfed them, she could feel Snow's hand gently squeeze hers.

After that, everything was fuzzy and black for a few moments before their vision was bursting with bright light. A few moments later, everyone found themselves in a clearing, dressed in all too familiar clothes; the clothes they'd been wearing during the curse.

"We're back," Snow whispered as she and everyone else stood in the middle of the clearing. No one had ever expected that they would return to their home, at least, not under the current circumstances. Quickly, the towns people began searching for familiar faces, though everyone remained quiet, somber, mournful almost. However, that silence was quickly replaced with the sound of a mournful sob. Everyone turned to find the queen on her knees sobbing openly.

"Regina…" Robin had knelt down in front of her, though she pulled back as though she'd been burned.

"Get away from me! This is all your fault! You brought her to Storybrooke, you did this! I should rip your heart out and crush it this instant!" In a flash, Regina was on her feet, using her magic to toss Robin across the clearing.

"Regina!" Snow rushed towards her step mother, who was now hovering over Robin, having placed him in a magical chokehold.

"Regina, please!" Robin rasped as his eyes connected with Roland's fearful ones.

"You betrayed me! You brought Zelena to Storybrooke, pretending she was your sister!I trusted you and you lied to me! Give me one reason I shouldn't end your miserable life right now?!"

"Because she'd threatened to kill Roland," Robin choked out as Regina released her magic hold on him.

"What?" She stared at him in bewilderment as Robin rubbed at his throat, taking deep breaths before he spoke.

"When I got back from Neverland, I learned that the witch had been looking for you. I was betrayed by my Merry Men. Zelena took my son and threatened to kill him if I didn't cooperate with her. Regina, I tried to tell you but every time I tried, but all I could see was my son's life dangling in front of me. I couldn't risk losing Roland, not after I'd only just gotten him back; he's all I have left of Marian," There were unshed tears in Robin's eyes as he looked pleadingly at Regina, hoping that she would understand.

"Get out of my sight; take your son and go," Regina commanded, turning her back to him.

"Regina, he can't go, not with the Wicked Witch out there somewhere," Charming said.

"I don't care what happens to him; I want him out of my sight!"

"Regina, think about Roland; you can't leave him susceptible to Zelena," Snow reasoned as Regina sighed heavily.

"Where was she staying before she came to Storybrooke?" She didn't dare look him in the eyes and it pained him that she couldn't.

"She'd taken up residence in Rumplestiltskin's castle," Robin said quietly.

"It makes sense; your castle and my father's castle were the only two structures left untouched by the curse while I was here," Neal said.

"Yeah, well, that's going to have to change," Rumple muttered under his breath.

"Regina, the curse, did it-" Charming asked.

"It should've sent everyone back to where they came from; if she's the Wicked Witch, then she should be far away in Oz by now," Regina said.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Rumple said as he made his way towards the heroes.

"What do you mean? The price was specific; I had to-"

"And you did, but Zelena altered the curse,"

"How did she alter it? She shouldn't have been able to cast it, not without the heart of the thing she loved most," Regina looked at her mentor in confusion.

"How did you cast it?" Neal asked.

"I crushed the heart of the thing I loved most," Regina said before turning her attention to Rumple.

"Just how powerful is this witch; she managed to break into my vault and I had it sealed with blood magic and now you're telling me she can alter the Dark Curse and cast it without the heart of the thing you love most?"

"As I'm sure you already know, I trained Zelena,"

"So I heard," Regina deadpanned.

"Zelena was…quite an interesting student; she was fixated on the curse, spells in general really. So it's no surprise to me that she was able to find a way around that part; she did have a way with loopholes," Regina gave Rumple an annoyed look.

"So what does that mean for her? Is she in the Enchanted Forest?"

"There's no telling where she could be, but my guess is that she tried getting the hell out of doge before the curse swept everyone away,"

"So, what do we do now? We don't know where Zelena is or what she's up to," Belle said.

"Belle's right; we need to get everyone to safety," Snow agreed.

"Well since she's apparently taken up residence at your castle, I guess I'm going to have to share mine-" Regina began.

"Ah, actually, you mean Snow's castle," Charming pointed out.

"Which I inherited through marriage; Snow never became the rightful heir to the throne so, it's still my castle,"

"It doesn't matter whose castle it is. Rumplestiltskin's castle has been breached so we'll go to the Winter Castle instead; those of you who wish to go and find your families and villages are free to do so. Everyone else, we're taking shelter at the Queen's palace," Snow said, doing her best to defuse the building tension between her husband and step mother.

"I know you're hurting, but the people have to see us standing together as a united front. Don't lose hope, Regina. We're going to defeat the Wicked Witch and get back to Emma and Henry," Snow quietly moved to stand beside Regina before surprising her and pulling her into a hug. Regina responded, only briefly before clearing her throat and turning to address the small crowd of people.

"The journey to my castle is from here takes about two days; we'll make camp here for tonight so that we'll be rested for the trip," Regina said nothing more before moving further out into the clearing, using her magic to conjure up some tents for everyone.

Snow left her alone, knowing that she would need time to adjust to everything. It would be her job to address those who had remained with them. Besides, she was much better at addressing her subjects than Regina was anyways. This wasn't Storybrooke, and with not everyone being swept up by the curse, she knew that there would be many people who, once they heard of their return, would be looking to see Regina's head on a platter. It was her job to make sure that the people understood that Regina could be trusted. It may have been well over 28 years since she ran a kingdom, but it was like riding a horse, right?

"We're going to need people to stand guard tonight; there's no telling where the Wicked Witch could be or when she's going to attack. Grumpy, do you and the dwarves think-"

"We're already on it sister," Grumpy said before turning towards his brothers.

"Neal, Hook, what do you say we go and find some firewood to help everyone stay warm?" Charming suggested as the two men followed him.

"I'm guessing I'll be in charge of making sure everyone gets something to eat?" Granny said as she looked at Snow over her glasses.

"That would be nice Granny, thank you," Though Snow kept her eyes trained on Regina.

"I'm worried about her; now there's a sentence I never thought I'd say," Ruby muttered as she stood next to Snow and watched Regina.

"She's changed Ruby, her time in Neverland really proved that,"

"She'd most definitely changed, right until I went and right cocked it all up," Robin sighed as he stood, Roland on his hip.

"Robin, you did nothing wrong; the Wicked Witch had your son. Regina's upset right now but, she'll understand. Why don't you go help Charming, Hook and Neal find firewood? And while you're at it, how about helping them find some dinner as well?" Robin chuckled softly before depositing Roland into Snow's arms and heading off in the other direction.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Ruby asked.

"She has to be; Henry would want her to,"

"And if she's not?"

"Then I'll just have to make it my business that she is," Snow said.

oOoOo

Rumple stood off to the side and watched his protégé brood in silence. She was using her magic to create comfortable tents for everyone. He knew that it was a front, a cover if you will, in order to hide the pain she was feeling. He couldn't say that he blamed her; she'd just sent her son across the town line, essentially wiping away all of his memories of their life together. He knew that pain; had felt it when he let Neal's hands slip out of his all those years ago when he broke the only deal in his life.

"Hey, are you alright?" Belle stood beside him, her arm gently rubbing his bicep.

"I'm worried about her," Rumple kept his eyes on Regina.

"Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd hear you say…but then again, I never thought I'd be worried about her myself," Belle said with a shake of her head.

"I know how she's feeling, the pain of losing your child," Rumple murmured as Belle gently squeezed his arm.

"I can't even begin to imagine what she must be feeling right now…and poor Robin! Zelena used him to get to Regina!"

"And that reason alone is why she's closed herself off to love all these years," Belle looked at Rumple strangely.

"What do you mean?"

"Cora tried to teach Regina one particular lesson: love is weakness. I helped further that lesson by teaching her that the darkness was all she had," Belle suddenly understood why Regina had done what she'd done to her, trapping her in the asylum for all those years.

"When she trapped me in the asylum, it was about you, wasn't it?" Rumple turned to face Belle in a slight confusion.

"What?"

"When Regina kidnapped me and held me in her castle; she did that because of you, didn't she?" Rumple sighed as he watched his protégé once more.

"I never stopped to think about it but, I'm quite sure she did. She couldn't bear to see anyone happy, not while her heart was lonely and miserable,"

"Still, Robin managed to get past her defenses; maybe he'll be successful again?" Belle said hopefully as they continued to watch Regina.

"Robin Hood is a…clever man, as I'm sure you remember," Belle smiled as she recalled how Robin managed to best the Dark One, with her help of course.

"I do,"

"Something tells me he'll be successful, though it won't be as easy as before. Regina has her guard up; she just lost Henry,"

"She's in a bad place,"

"That she is," Rumple nodded.

"Y'know I don't exactly know what happened in Neverland or what exactly transpired between she and Snow White, but something tells me that Regina will get through this. It certainly won't be easy, but she's got friends by her side…and, I think she'll get through it, for Henry's sake," Rumple continued to watch Regina, a strange expression crossing his features for a moment.

"Yes, I suppose she will,"

 _Chapter 22 to follow…_

* * *

 **We won't be seeing any of Henry and Emma while in the Missing Year, but we will see where Zelena ended up when the curse swept everyone away. Spoiler alert, she didn't go back to Oz!**

 **I hope you all enjoy, and thanks so much for reading!**

 **Xx**


	23. Chapter 21

**Thank you all so much for your interest in this story! Know what I'd love? For this story to get over 100 reviews, so if you're on Twitter or Tumblr of know of anybody who wants to read a good OutlawQueen story, tell them about Man With the Lion Tattoo! You can even shout me out if you're on social media; I'm thewrldacctodee on Twitter and theworldaccordingtodee on Tumblr.**

 **Anywho, let's get back to the story, shall we?**

 **Xx**

* * *

 _Zelena stood inside the farmhouse with a triumphant smile on her face. She had found a way around the main ingredient of the dark curse. Now, all she had to do was get the center of Storybrooke to cast the spell. That would be easy; after leaving Regina's vault, she took the liberty of snooping around her office and found out that the central hub of magic for Storybrooke was this stupid wishing well in the middle of the woods. That wishing well was the perfect place to cast her curse. It would be far worse than what Regina had done to the people in Storybrooke 28 years ago. But before she ruined the queen's life for good, she had one more stop to make._

 _She could hear Robin talking to that little brat of a son of his as she opened the door._

" _Going somewhere?" Zelena chuckled, though her eyes were trained on Roland._

" _Please, I didn't say anything to her, I promise,"_

" _No, you didn't; but I can't let you leave without seeing what's in store for her," With a wave of her hand, Roland disappeared from his arms, practically into thin air._

" _Where is he!? What did you do to him?!"_

" _Relax, he's fine," Zelena said, waving her hand dismissively._

" _He's fine!? He's bloody disappeared!?"_

" _And he'll be returned to you as soon as everything is over," Robin frowned at Zelena's words._

" _After what's over? What do you have planned?"_

" _I'm going to destroy the Evil Queen once and for all," Zelena smirked triumphantly before she and Robin disappeared in a cloud of smoke._

oOoOo

 _They appeared again the middle of the forest with Robin immediately trying to run away from her._

" _Ah, ah, ah; not so fast lover boy," With a flick of her hand, Robin was tied up against a tree using magical restraints._

" _Why are you doing this?"_

" _I already told you, Regina has to be destroyed," Zelena said, though she didn't bother turning around to look at him._

" _What exactly are you going to do?"_

" _That's for me to know and everyone else to be afraid of," Zelena laughed as she began to dump the ingredients needed for her spell; Robin looked on curiously._

" _What is that?"_

" _Why this? This is the curse to end all curses; the Dark Curse," Robin's brow furrowed then smoothed out in realization._

" _The curse that brought everyone here," Zelena nodded._

" _The very one,"_

" _How did you-"_

" _Regina might be the Evil Queen, but she's quite stupid; she left this just, lying around her vault,"_

" _That curse is dangerous; if it weren't for her mother casting some sort of protection spell of half of the Enchanted Forest-"_

" _I know exactly how dangerous it is, which is why I revamped it so that we could stay here instead of being ripped away to a new land," Robin shook his head._

" _Why are you doing this? What did Regina do to you that was so-"_

" _She didn't do anything," Zelena sighed as Robin frowned._

" _If she didn't do anything then-"_

" _it's a prophecy; back in Oz, Glinda the Good Witch told me that I'd be in a battle with another powerful witch, a witch who would be so powerful that she'd destroy me once and for all," Zelena said quietly._

" _I'm guessing that witch is Regina?" Zelena nodded slowly._

" _You know, prophecies don't always come true, at least, not the way we expect them to," Zelena shook her head._

" _If this is some kind of trick to get me not to kill your little girlfriend then-"_

" _It's not it's just…I had a prophecy foretold about me also; it said that my tattoo would be a sign to some woman that we were meant to be together, soulmates they said. Anywho, I never met that woman, in fact, I never even knew about the tattoo until recently," Zelena finally turned around to look at him, to really look at him._

" _That person, my soulmate, is apparently the Evil Queen," Robin chuckled as Zelena stared at him wide eyed._

" _Regina is your soulmate?" Zelena asked as Robin nodded._

" _Well…that just means that you'll be getting a first class seat to the bloodbath that's going to occur; also, I'm thinking that with this curse I might make you hate her, see how it feels to have the man that's destined to be her soulmate hate her," Zelena laughed with glee as Robin sighed; that wasn't what was supposed to happen._

" _Oh, yes, you'll do just fine," Zelena said as she walked towards Robin, gently touching his cheek to see if she liked his type._

" _Y'know, I can give you anything you want with this new curse…" Zelena was standing incredibly close to Robin, running a hand through his hair, batting her lashes at him._

" _I could give you a life where you and your son are happy, with lots of money…"_

" _If I do what exactly?" Robin's head remained straight forward as Zelena circled him like he were hungry prey._

" _If you simply agree to be mine and not Regina's," Zelena ran a hand along his shirt, pulling him close as she tried to kiss him, though Robin pulled away._

" _There's no way in hell I'd ever agree to be yours," Robin glared at Zelena as she let out a cry of frustration._

" _You're going to regret this, you miserable thief! In fact…my first order of business as the new queen is to make sure that you've got a front row seat to watch me destroy your pathetic little queen and then, you're going to watch me rip out the heart of that little brat of yours," Zelena laughed as she used her magic to make them disappear._

oOoOo

" _What are we doing in the middle of town?" Robin asked._

" _We're gonna have some fun," Zelena said as she looked around, searching for her first target._

" _Fun? Don't you know Regina and the heroes are probably looking for you?" Robin tilted his head in confusion._

" _Oh, I know that, but why hide from them? Why not be in plain sight?" Zelena wore a wicked grin as she dragged Robin into Granny's dinner._

 _She did just enough terrorizing the idiots of Storybrooke, at least, enough for someone to alert the Queen and the heroes. She made sure to send word of her threat and of what would happen should no one show._

 _All that was left to do was wait._

 _By the time dusk arrived, there was already a small crowd starting to gather in the middle of Main Street as Zelena waited for Regina to show up. She knew that she'd eventually show; there was no way that Zelena could harass citizens of Storybrooke and hold Robin hostage and Regina not step in to save them. Still, it was getting late and Zelena was growing impatient._

" _You'd think that your beloved queen would've shown by now," Zelena looked around at the crowd, which seemed to be growing as the minutes passed._

" _If she doesn't show in the next few minutes then-"_

" _Then what?" The crowd slowly parted down the middle as Regina and the heroes made their way towards her._

" _Regina, how nice of you to join us!" Zelena's hands clapped with glee at the sight of the other woman._

" _Regina, we don't even know what she wants," Snow whispered._

" _I know what she wants and what she's doing; I have a plan to stop her," Regina said quietly._

" _Care to let the rest of us know what that plan is?" David murmured, though Regina ignored him, walking directly towards Zelena._

" _Well, aren't you going to ask what it is I'm doing here?" Zelena stood with a hand on her hip, not failing to notice the pain in Regina's eyes when she glanced at Robin._

" _Fine, what do you want Zelena?" Regina sighed_

" _Well first off, I failed to mention that Robin isn't really my brother!"_

" _I'm painfully aware of that," Regina said, her eyes focused only on Zelena._

" _Aww, I'm sorry; I know how much Robbie-"_

" _Robin doesn't mean anything to me," Regina quickly replied._

" _Regina, I'm sorry," Robin said, hoping that he could say something, anything to get through to her._

" _I don't think she wants to hear that; she's far too upset that you brought me here," Zelena said glancing back at him._

" _We both know that I didn't willingly bring you here!" Robin shouted._

" _Really? Then pray tell how did I know where to find Regina and how important she was to you?" Zelena's eyes held a warning; if Robin said the wrong thing that Roland's life would end._

" _Yes Robin, exactly how did Zelena find me?" Regina tilted her head to the side, willing to go along with their little charade but still wanting to know just how involved Robin was in all of this._

" _Regina, I really am sorry, but I can't tell you that," Regina rolled her eyes in disgust at Robin before turning her attention back to Zelena._

" _What are you doing here, and what the hell do you want with me? We've never met until now," Regina's hands were on her hips; her patience growing thin, and fast._

" _You're right; we've never met until now but that doesn't mean I don't know who you are. After all, we were both fortunate enough to share the same teacher," Zelena started a slow pace as she began circling Regina._

" _Rumple taught you?"_

" _Why of course he did; did you think you were the only one darling?" Zelena laughed before she continued,_

" _So that's what this was about? You're jealous that Rumple trained me to cast his curse?" Regina laughed as Zelena glowered at her._

" _If you think that's what this is about then you're sadly mistaken,"_

" _Alright then, humor me; exactly what the hell is this all about?"_

" _It is about Rumple but not completely; as far as him training me goes, he didn't train me for long. He said I didn't have what it took to cast his curse, even though he admitted that I was much stronger, much more powerful than you ever would be. You see, I was born with magic so it all came naturally to me. He taught me just enough to get by but you, you, he taught and molded you into the pathetic little waste you are today. I mean, look at you Regina; you created a town that was nothing more than a fancy form of running away. You didn't ruin their lives, you made them better; you gave them inside toilets and water that didn't come from a well. The Dark Curse was supposed to be the curse of all curses and what did you use it for? You used it because you were too weak to rip out Snow White's heart when you had the chance, and for what? Because she tattled on you and cost you some stupid little stable-" Zelena's words were cut as she became suspended in mid-air thanks to Regina's magical chokehold._

" _You may think you know me greenie, but you have no idea what I'm capable of. You've only heard stories about the Evil Queen, but you've never seen her up close," Slowly, Regina lowered Zelena to the ground; a smirk of satisfaction moving across her face as she watched Zelena rub at her neck, doing all she could to suck in the proper amount of air._

" _Now, I'm going to ask you again; what the hell do you want from me?" Zelena stood up, straightening her clothes out a bit._

" _That was cute, but I can do better than that…but I won't, there's no need. Soon, you'll all be dead,"_

" _And exactly how do you plan on doing that?"_

" _Simple; you asked me what I wanted from you, and what I want is to destroy you. In order to do it, I'm going to use this," With that, Zelena opened her hand and in it appeared a small scroll._

" _Do you know what this is Regina?" The queen immediately swore under her breath; she knew exactly what it was Zelena held in her hand._

" _How did you…my vault is sealed with blood magic! There's no way in hell you should've been able to break into my vault and stole that!"_

" _I told you, I'm a much better witch than you," Zelena smirked._

" _Regina, what is that?" Emma asked._

" _Regina?" Snow prompted_

" _Since you won't tell them, I will: this scroll has the ability to undo Regina's first curse. That's right; she's had the power to send you all home for the last 28 years. And since I'm a far smarter witch than she is, I figured out a way to tweak it a bit, at least, enough to work to my advantage. You see, all I have to do is-" Zelena began as the scroll disappeared from her hand._

" _What the-"_

" _Looking for this?" Emma swan teased, holding the scroll in her hand as Zelena began to see red._

" _You give that back to me right now!" Zelena shouted as Emma shook her head._

" _Sorry, I don't think so; Regina, catch," Emma said as she tossed the scroll to Regina, who caught it with ease._

" _Ooh, that was clever, but not quite clever enough," Zelena said as she disappeared into a cloud of green smoke._

 _oOoOo_

 _Zelena stood in the middle of the forest at the wishing well completely furious. Several feet away tied up to a nearby tree Robin tugged at the ropes on his arms, desperate to get free._

" _What the bloody hell was that about?" Robin shouted._

" _Oh hush up you!" Zelena leaned forward, her eyes looking into the old wishing well._

" _That was perhaps the dumbest thing you've ever done," Zelena looked up at the sound of Rumplestiltskin's voice._

" _Don't worry, I'll figure something out; I'll get that scroll back," Zelena said, not bothering to look at him._

" _You have no idea what that scroll can do," Rumple shook his head slowly before using his magic to free Robin._

" _I knew enough to tweak the curse to use it to my advantage, didn't I?" Zelena jutted out her chin in defiance; she would not allow Rumplestiltskin to belittle her, not when she was so close to winning._

" _You may have been able to tweak it to make the curse work for you here, but there's one thing that Regina knows about curses that you don't,"_

" _And what's that?"_

" _That all curses can be broken," Rumple said Zelena scoffed._

" _I knew that too,"_

" _Ah but what you don't know is how to break this curse; you see, there's a reason I chose Regina to cast my curse and not you…you were so revenge-laden that you missed important lessons,"_

" _Such as?" Zelena drawled._

" _That no matter how you tweak this curse, no matter how much you change it, there's only one way to break it," Rumple made his way closer to Zelena, so close that their faces nearly touched._

" _I told you when I realized who you were that I wanted no parts of what you had planned for Regina; now that she's got that scroll and is willing to break the curse, you've pulled me and my family into your mess and now, you're gonna have to pay for that," Rumple said nothing else before disappearing into a cloud of dark red smoke. Zelena knew that pissing off Rumple wasn't smart, but maybe he needed to be punished also? Whatever way this curse was broken was obviously bad if it had Rumple seeking her out to threaten her. Zelena stood straighter before turning her attention to Robin._

" _Well, it looks like plans have changed; you might wanna hold on to the little brat for as long as you can," Zelena said before causing Roland to materialize out of thin air and into Robin's arms._

" _What the bloody hell have you done?" Robin asked as he held his son close._

" _I don't know, but whatever the breaking of that curse is, I'm glad Regina has that scroll. Now, she's about to ruin herself and Rumplestiltskin," Zelena laughed before disappearing into a cloud of smoke._

oOoOo

She knew there was nowhere to run, but she went to the safest place she could; that old, stupid farmhouse. She understood how the curse worked; she'd be taken back to Oz, which was the last thing she needed, at least, as long as that insipid Dorothy Gale was alive. Zelena braced herself as the old wooden house began to shake, windows were shattered as the tendrils of the curse surrounded her. She tried not to scream but, she couldn't not when she could feel herself being lifted into the air as the roof of the farmhouse was ripped off. She tried desperately to hold on but she couldn't, she was swept up in a cloud of green smoke just before everything went Black.

By the time she came to again, she looked around, shocked to see that she was still inside the old farmhouse. That couldn't be, that farmhouse was still in Storybrooke; oh no, had she been left behind? Zelena stood to her feet and looked around; she breathed a sigh of relief when she looked out of the broken windows and realized that she too had been swept away by the curse. That was unusual, for the farmhouse to be taken with her. She stepped outside of the house, even more relieved when she realized that she wasn't just back, but she had been brought back to the Enchanted Forest with everyone else.

Just as she went to take a step forward, an arrow went whizzing past her head.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Zelena bellowed, though her scowl quickly turned into a grin when she realized that the farmhouse had landed directly in the middle of the Merry Men's camp.

Exactly where she came from, the words seemed to be on repeat.

"Z-Zelena? I thought you-" Little John was the first to speak.

"Oh, hush up, will you? You should've known I wouldn't be gone for long," She brushed the dust off of her dress as she caught a glimpse of herself on a shard of glass; her skin was glowing and green.

"Regina's never seen me as the Wicked Witch, so I'd say that this is a good advantage," Little John and Friar Tuck stood off watching her, unsure of what their next move.

"Where's Robin?" Alan-a-Dale asked.

"Probably somewhere spilling his pathetic guts to Regina," Zelena shook her head and sighed.

"Tell me, what sorts of rumblings have you heard in the Enchanted Forest today?" Zelena eyed the Merry Men, hoping that there had been word about the other's return.

"Well, anyone?" A tiny young man by the name of Elliot shyly moved forward.

"I, I may have, h-heard something," Elliott was a young fellow, no more than maybe 16 or so and seemed to be really intimidated by the others.

"Alright, out with it,"

"I heard that the Evil Queen, Snow White, Prince Charming, and the Dark One had mysteriously returned to the Enchanted Forest," Elliott's voice shook as he spoke.

"Anything else?" Zelena walked closer to him and he seemed to be near fainting.

"I-I heard that they were headed to the Evil Queen's castle," Zelena hummed as she began to pace. She needed a plan, and fast.

"And that's all you heard?" She asked Elliott who nodded quickly.

So Rumple was working with Regina and the heroes; she knew how this worked. The heroes were going to use Rumple's knowledge to try and defeat her. No, she couldn't have that, not at all. Suddenly, a plan formulated in Zelena's mind.

"I hope you all have no objections to being my flying monkeys and if you do, too bad!" Zelena cackled as she turned the Merry Men into a group of nasty looking flying monkeys.

"Now for this mission, I want you all to bring me the Dark One, his son…and Robin Hood's boy, Roland," Zelena thought of the irony of what was about to happen and laughed.

Zelena stood in the middle of the camp, watching as the Merry Men, now turned Flying Monkeys were on their first mission for her. She honestly felt proud but was she swore that she wouldn't care, but she did. Rumplestiltskin was the brains of this entire operation, literally, but taking Neal and Roland was sort of collateral damage. Zelena was happy about the prospect of having Rumplestiltskin as a prisoner, because there was one question she'd been dying to know:

Who was the purveyor of Gray magic?

 _Chapter 23 to follow…_

* * *

 **Whew! This didn't take me too long, at least, I hope it didn't; five days really isn't that bad. So we're about to dig into some really interesting stuff while part of the missing year as you can see by the question Zelena has for Rumple. I know a lot of this seems redundant, but I wanted to make things clearer in terms of what happened to Zelena once she disappeared to when the curse came. Also, this chapter sets up what I have planned for the next couple of chapters. We'll be sort of floating between what's going on with Zelena, and what the heroes are up to.**

 **Thank you all so much for continuing to read this story and I do hope you all enjoy!**

 **Xx**


	24. Chapter 22

**Hey guys!**

 **I'm so sorry that it's taken me so long to update this fic. I FINALLY graduated from college and since then I've been working nonstop. I got a chance to catch up on Once and I must say that I'm excited about the new season. I'd lost hope in the show and had pretty much stopped watching, but the musical episode and the season finale sort of rejuvenated my interest. Ironically, the 'reboot' is somewhat in line with where I had planned to take this story, or at least the sequel. Because yes, there IS a sequel to Man With the Lion Tattoo, which is being simultaneously written alongside this story. The Missing Year is going to be really interesting, because I'm adding in other Disney stories that haven't been done on the show, because yes, there are Disney stories that haven't been done on OUAT. Anywho, let's get into the next chapter shall we? This time we'll be checking up on the heroes; don't lose hope Outlaw Queen shippers, I'm going to fix things between Robin and Regina soon, I promise!**

 **Xx**

* * *

oOoOo

Robin sighed heavily as he walked through the forest with Hook, Neal, and David. He felt terrible about betraying them all, forcing Regina to destroy Zelena's curse and give up her son.

"I'm sorry," David and Neal had been walking a bit ahead of him and stopped in their tracks.

"Robin, you don't have anything to be sorry about," David sighed.

"No, I do; I cost you your daughter, son and your grandson, and a woman that you both care about very much," he said gesturing to Hook and Neal; it was quite obvious that both men had fallen in love with Emma Swan.

"Robin, I owe you an apology; I'm the one who got you caught up in our mess," Neal had been feeling terrible ever since Roland had gotten himself attached to the shadow and taken to Neverland.

"While you did use my son as bait, I can't say that I'm angry with you,"

"Is it because you've grown fond of the queen?" Hook smirked.

"While I may have taken a liking to Regina…that's no longer important, seeing as I've gone and cocked it up with the whole Zelena thing," David gently placed a hand on Robin's shoulder as he spoke.

"You had no choice; Zelena had your son,"

"If you were in my shoes, would you have done the same thing with Emma?" Neal, Hook, and David all shared a look before letting out a collective chuckle.

"I once was you; when Regina cast her curse, Snow and I put Emma into a magical wardrobe and sent her into the land without magic,"

"Right; I keep forgetting about that part," Robin chuckled.

"We've all been there; remember, I'm the only reason my father ever broke a deal in his life," Neal reminded him.

"Aye, we've all made tough decisions in our lives mate; you'll get no judgment from us," Hook said, though he didn't miss the soft scoff from Neal. He knew he didn't believe him, but that didn't mean that Hook hadn't had to make some hard choices in his life.

"While I do feel somewhat better, how am I supposed to make things right with Regina?"

"Now that's something none of us can help you with," David laughed.

"He's right man; there are only two people who really know Regina," Neal said as the men made their way through a thicket of bushes.

"Lemme guess; your father and Snow White?" Robin chuckled as Neal nodded his head in agreement.

"Exactly,"

The men came to a stream of water in the middle of the forest. The air around them had begun to grow colder the further they trekked into the forest. The sun had settled far behind the clouds in exchange for the faintest twinkle of stars.

"Well, mates, what do you say we catch some fish eh?" Hook had already begun wading into the water, casually using his hook to scoop up a fish as he held it in the air triumphantly.

"As impressive as that was, that poor fish isn't enough to feed everyone back at camp," Robin chuckled as he moved away from the stream.

"And what do you suggest?" Hook raised an eyebrow in annoyance as he watched Robin grab one of his bows from his quiver.

"Why hunting of course," Robin crouched down in a thicket of grass, signaling for the other men to copy him.

"I don't see why we couldn't just feed everyone bloody fish," Hook grumbled as Robin hissed for him to be quiet.

"Because not all of us have the pleasure of having a hook for a hand," Neal whispered.

This was already turning out to be one hell of an adventure.

oOoOo

By the time Regina put her hands down, she was drained. She hadn't thought about how difficult using magic would be after she'd sent them all back to the Enchanted Forest. She quickly found herself leaning against a nearby tree, almost slumping to the ground.

"Regina!" In an instant, Snow was by her side pushing her hair away from her now sweaty brow.

"I'm fine Snow, back off!" Her voice didn't have the bite she expected it to; she sounded winded and tired.

"Regina, you just cast a very powerful curse; you should've known that using magic would be taxing on your body," Snow's eyes were gentle and understanding, though they held a bit of sympathy as well.

"I don't need your sympathy Snow," Regina shoved Snow's hand away from her face as she stood on wobbly legs.

"Regina-"

"I don't need your help; I need to make sure that these people are safe from the Wicked Witch," Snow annoyingly followed Regina as she checked the perimeter.

"Regina, you need to take better care of yourself, Henry would-"

"No! Don't you dare talk about Henry! Henry isn't here, Henry doesn't even know who I am. He thinks I'm just some fairy tale character Snow, so don't tell me what Henry would want, because to Henry I'm not real!" Regina's breath was coming out in heavy puffs of air as she spoke. However, her eyes were trained on the odd looking birds making their way towards the clearing.

"Regina…" Snow tilted her head to the side as she followed Regina's line of sight.

"What is that?" Snow squinted her eyes as the strange looking creature came further into view.

"I don't know, it looks like…" Regina squinted her eyes, peering into the night sky. Suddenly the image became clear as it was reflected in the protective bubble of her spell.

"Flying Monkeys; it looks like we weren't able to get rid of Zelena after all," Regina sighed. However, her sigh turned into a growl as the flying monkeys began trying to penetrate her protection spell.

"Regina, what do we do?" Snow was immediately standing beside her, her bows and arrows in her hand.

"Get everyone to the center of the camp; I can fight them off,"

"Regina-"

"Go, Snow!" Snow didn't argue; she, along with Ruby and Granny, got everyone to the center of the camp.

"What's going on?" David, Hook, Neal, and Robin had just returned from gathering food for everyone when they saw the commotion.

"Apparently, Zelena's found us," Ruby said with a sigh.

"Where's Regina?" Robin asked, taking a quick glance around the camp.

"Being stubborn and trying to fight off Zelena's flying monkeys alone," Snow said, not bothering to hide her annoyance with her stepmother.

"I'm going to help her," Robin said nothing more as he readjusted his quiver.

oOoOo

By the time he made it to Regina, she was nearly on her knees, doing all she could to fight off the flying monkeys, but was failing badly.

"Need some help?" Robin didn't waste any time doing what he could to fend off the flying monkeys that were trying to break through the magically protected shield.

"I was doing just fine without you!" Robin cast Regina a look that let her know he wasn't buying a word of what she said.

"I think the fact that a flying monkey just tried to break through your force field says differently," Robin aimed his bow at the horrible looking creature and aimed, though it flew just out of reach.

"You think you can defeat those things with your pointy sticks? Watch and see how its done," Though she was tired, Regina was able to muster up a smirk long enough to throw a fireball in the direction of the flying monkey. What she wasn't counting on, however, was for one of the beasts to fly directly towards her.

Robin was ready to rush to Regina's side when one of the flying monkeys charged at her, tackling her to the ground. However, he didn't have the time to; the shield had been penetrated, allowing nearly a dozen flying monkeys to enter into the camp. Robin fought off as many monkeys as he could, though he immediately rushed to Regina's side when a flying monkey was on top of her. Robin quickly killed it, stabbing it with one of his arrows.

Though much to his horror, the monkey morphed into a human, an all too familiar human at that; one of his youngest Merry Men, Elliott.

"No!" Robin shook his head as he stared at Elliott's now lifeless body.

"Zelena, this is her doing; the rest of those flying monkeys-"

"Are probably my men," Robin stood, giving Elliott's body one last glance.

"We should go help the others," Regina said, though Robin couldn't help but notice the blood trickling down the side of her cheek.

"Milady, you're injured," Robin went to touch her cheek but Regina quickly recoiled.

"We need to go stop the others from killing the rest of your friends," With that, Regina disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

oOoOo

Snow had gathered everyone near the center of the camp, despite their murmurs and grumbles. When the flying monkeys came swarming towards them, David, Hook, Neal, and the dwarves did all that they could to fend them off. Though the flying monkeys were outnumbered, they put up one hell of a fight. In the midst of the chaos, one of the flying monkeys managed to grab young Roland, pulling him into the air. Neal immediately went after him, only to have one of the flying monkeys sink its claws into him, pulling him into the air as well. With everyone else distracted as they tried to save Roland and Neal, the flying monkeys went after Belle.

"Enough of this; first you mess with my son and now Belle," Rumple conjured up a fireball, prepared to incinerate the monkey that dared put its paws on Belle.

"Gold stop!" Robin managed to lodge himself between the monkey and the Dark One's fireball.

"Stand down thief,"

"I can't let you kill one of my men," Gold shook his head.

"But you'll let one of these beasts take your son?" Robin's eyes widened in shock when he saw Roland's tiny legs dangling in the air as a flying monkey carried him away.

"Roland!" Robin immediately rushed off in the direction of the flying monkey that had his son.

"Now, where were we?" Rumple smiled ruefully at the monkey that still had Belle cornered. Just as he prepared to strike, a pair of claws sank their way into his back, causing him to let out a yelp of pain before falling to his knees. Rumple tried to stand but was met by another set of claws, this time in his shoulders.

"Rumple!" Belle had managed to shove one of the monkeys away from her just as Rumple was pulled into the air.

"What the hell was that all about?" Snow was puffing and panting as she and everyone else made their way towards Belle.

"I don't know but, those things they just took Rumple!" Belle was visibly shaking as she spoke.

"And Neal," David said with a sigh.

"And Roland; I just got him back from Zelena and she's already taken him again," Robin let out a frustrated groan as everyone looked at him. Of course they had every right to be wary of him given what had occurred in Storybrooke

"I had no idea she was doing this I swear!"

"Robin, it's fine; those weren't just flying monkeys, those were Robin's Merry Men," Everyone turned to look at Regina, surprised to see her defending Robin.

"If those were his Merry Men then-" this time, Leroy stood in front of the heroes, daring to ask questions.

"When I returned to the Enchanted Forest, Zelena had manipulated my men into working for her. The only reason I know that those were my men was because when I killed one of them, he turned into a young man named Elliott, the youngest member of my crew," Robin's voice held a bit of a quiver to it as he spoke.

"So the Wicked Witch has Rumplestiltskin, Bae, and Robin Hood's lad; what the hell are we supposed to do?"

"We go to my castle and try and figure out what the hell she wants with them, why she brought us here and how to get back to Emma and Henry," Regina said before turning and walking away.

"Regina's right; we have to stick together, now more than ever," Snow stood in front of the crowd of worried faces, unsure if she could do as she'd seen her stepmother do so many times before in Storybrooke and pretend that she wasn't worried.

"Now that the Wicked Witch knows where we are, we need to get to Regina's castle as soon as possible. Her castle is protected with magic that I'm sure not even the Wicked Witch can't get past. Belle, I'm sure that Regina has books you can use to find out everything you can about the Wicked Witch," Belle wiped away her tears and nodded in response.

"Regina did learn everything she knows from Rumple so…" Belle gave Snow a reassuring smile as she spoke; she had to be positive, if not for Rumple and Bae, but for everyone else as well.

"Granny, do you think you and Ruby could-"

"Try and track em? I'm on it," Granny gave Snow a nod before she and Ruby quietly snuck away from the group and went into the woods, using their wolf senses to try and get a feel for where the flying monkeys could've taken Rumple, Neal, and Roland.

"Everyone else, we'll rest here, but only for a little while; be ready to move by at least sunrise," With that, Snow moved away from the crowd and towards Regina, who was quietly arguing with Robin.

"What's going on?" Snow quickly let out a gasp as she saw just how badly Regina had been beaten up.

"Is this, all from the flying monkeys?" Snow's frowned deepend at the sight of Regina's wounds.

"No, I'd suspect that some of this is from using her magic earlier," Regina sent Robin a withering glare as she finally gave in and allowed Snow to fuss over her injuries.

"No one asked you anything, thief," Robin opened his mouth but quickly closed it; she was speaking from a place of hurt, he could respect and understand that.

"Regina, I know you don't want to hear it but-"

"You're right Snow I don't wanna heart it," Snow sighed heavily but nodded.

"Alright fine, just…one more thing; what good will you be to Henry when we find he and Emma if you're all battered and bruised? Most of all, what good would you be to Henry if you're dead? Because if you don't stop, you're only gonna end up dead. And what good is the world without Regina Mills in it?" With that, Snow left Regina alone to contemplate her words.

 _What good is the world without Regina Mills in it_?

However, the question on Regina's mind was,

 _What kind of world was she living in if she didn't have her son_?

 _Chapter 24 to follow…_

* * *

 **I'm pretty proud of myself; I wrote this in one sitting. I'm not necessarily happy with the last few scenes, mostly because they were written in my spare time at work and while I was exhausted. Not only did I graduate this weekend, but I've been on call for my nanny job for nearly 3 weeks straight and I am in desperate need of a vacation. Let's all cross our fingers that I'm able to get time off next week because it is EXTREMELY NEEDED.**

 **Anywho, until next time you guys!**

 **Xx**


	25. Chapter 23

The wind was whipping furiously in their faces as Zelena's flying monkeys carried them high over the treetops of the Enchanted Forest. Rumple smiled with relief when he realized just where the monkeys were taking them. Neal glanced over at his father and smiled as well; getting back to the others would be far too easy. The doors to the balcony of Rumple's castle opened quickly as the three of them were unceremoniously dropped onto the floor.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Rumple looked up to find a very green looking Zelena staring at him.

"You may be grinning now dearie, but when I'm through with you-" Rumple stood to his feet, though he was pushed back down by Zelena, who now towered over him with as satisfying smirk graced her features.

"Ah, ah, ah; try anything funny and I'll be forced to kill your beloved son. I'm pretty sure you don't wanna lose him, not after spending hundreds of years trying to find him," Neal was in Zelena's grasp in seconds, a dagger pointing at his jugular, slightly pressing into it.

"What exactly is it that you want from me?" Rumple sighed heavily as Zelena released Neal.

"Well, first I want your dagger; I know you have it on you, so go ahead and hand it over," Zelena held out a hand, though Rumple hesitated; he'd never given up his dagger to anyone, not even Belle.

"I think you need a little motivation," Zelena casually reached her hand into Neal's chest, pulling out his heart and squeezing it.

"Alright! Alright, just don't hurt him!" Rumple's eyes were wide as he looked at his son. He had searched so long to find him and he wasn't going to take any chances on losing him, not again.

"This was too easy," Zelena shoved Neal's heart back into his chest before pushing him in the direction of his father. Neal carefully lifted a terrified Roland into his arms and tried to calm him.

"Kidnapping me and taking my boy, I understand, but what does the child-"

"He's merely leverage; Robin happened to reveal an interesting little piece of information about he and Regina," Zelena was primly pacing back and forth across the marble floors of Rumple's great room.

"And what, pray tell, kind of information did Robin Hood-"

"Robin and Regina are soulmates!" Zelena's eyes filled with glee as she revealed the news.

"Ah yes, so you heard about the long lost prophecy eh?"

"Yes, I heard about the…what do you mean, _long lost prophecy_?" Zelena paused in front of Rumple with a frown on her face as he spoke.

"It appears I've said too much," Rumple smirked

"Tell me what you know about the prophesy or else you'll be explaining to Robin Hood why his son's heart is no longer in his chest," Rumple sighed heavily as he glanced over at Neal and Roland.

"I vaguely learned of it while we were trapped in Neverland; something about pixie dust…" Zelena stared hard at Rumple for a few moments before shaking her head.

"That sounds ridiculous,"

"It's very much true, and we both know the power of True Love," Rumple taunted as Zelena shook her head.

"Yes, yes, I know all about how that pesky True Love works; but if I could find a way around your Dark Curse, it'll be nothing to find a way around True Love," Rumple said nothing; instead, he stared long and hard at Zelena.

"I'm curious; why exactly is it that you've taken the boy, aside from learning that Robin Hood and Regina are soulmates,"

"He's here for the same reasons I took your son…though I'm beginning to think I should've gone after your little girlfriend instead,"

"You lay one hand on Belle-"

"Careful Dark One, I am your master now," Zelena held the dagger out in front of her, as though she were going to command Rumple to do something; immediately he was quiet.

"Now, that's more like it," Zelena took a deep breath as to control her emotions before focusing her attention on Rumple.

"About a year ago, that pesky little witch Glinda paid me a visit, she told me of a prophecy, one that stated that I'd be defeated by some powerful witch…I'm pretty sure by now you know what witch I'm talking about," Zelena paced back and forth as she explained her encounter with Glinda to Rumple.

"Yes, it seems that your plans are far more clear now that I know the motivation behind them," Rumple said.

"Good; now, you're going to tell me exactly how to defeat Regina, and that's an order, Dark One," Zelena held the dagger out in front of her again, though this time Rumple could feel the tendrils of magic, pulling at his very being.

"Well, tell me!" Zelena shouted as Rumple looked up at her, a pained expression on his face.

"You can't," Zelena cried out indignantly in response to Rumple's answer.

"What do you mean I can't!?" Furious, Zelena used her magic to toss Rumple across the room.

"Do not play games with me Dark One or I will force you to kill your own son! Tell me, how do I defeat Regina!?" Rumple tried desperately to catch his breath as he moved into a sitting position, though Zelena was directly in his face again, the dagger mere inches away from his neck.

"You can't; if you did, you'd be playing with fate; and that's not something you wanna mess with," Rumple managed to choke out, taking Zelena by surprise.

"What do you mean?" Zelena was suddenly curious.

"It means that my suspicions about who you were, were right," Zelena frowned as she looked down at the imp.

"What are you talking about; I don't need riddles I need to find a way to-"

"Destroy Regina? I know; I've already told you that you can't…it is your destiny to be defeated by Regina, and we both know how destiny works," Zelena was furious; there had to be another way, there just had to!

"Fine, tell me everything you know about Regina, and I mean everything,"

oOoOo

The clearing was quiet after Zelena's flying monkeys left, taking with them Rumple, Roland, and Neal. Hook, David, and the Dwarves were in charge of putting back up the tents while Granny served meals. Meanwhile, Tinkerbell and a few other fairies put up a new protection spell, seeing as no one was sure if the flying monkeys would return. Meanwhile, in another tent, Snow White sat cleaning the wounds of her step mother.

"Those things could've killed you, y'know," Snow's voice was gentle when she spoke, though Regina didn't look at her.

"Is that what you wanted, Regina? To die?" Regina still refused to look at Snow, but quietly responded.

"No, not really; but it would've saved me from all of the pain that I'm feeling right now,"

"Regina, I know you're hurting but-"

"Do you, Snow? Do you _really_ know what I'm feeling? I spent nearly a month on an island with people who hated me; before that, I was tortured for two days. Before that, my mother died and then I lost Henry. In the midst of all of that, I met my soulmate and allowed myself to fall in love with him and-"

"You're in love with Robin?" Snow's voice was filled with excitement, which she quickly tampered down on at the menacing look on Regina's face.

"I was or...I thought I was but…he lied to me, Snow. He put us all in danger and cost me my son; that can never be forgiven," Regina's voice was firm, though Snow could see the pain in her eyes, and all of it didn't come from losing Henry.

"Regina, we both know that Robin lying to you wasn't by choice; what would you have had him to do? He had just gotten Roland back; what if you were in his shoes, what would you have done?"

"I would've done everything I could to protect Henry," Regina said immediately.

"Then how can you blame him for doing exactly what you would've done? I'm not saying that you can't be hurt by what happened, but he's lost his son for the third time now," Snow placed a sympathetic hand on Regina's shoulder once she had cleaned and bandaged her wounds.

"I know this is going to be hard for you, not seeing Henry, trying to figure out what the Wicked Witch wants with you; but I'm sure that Henry wouldn't want you going through this alone. I promise you, Regina, we will defeat Zelena and we will get back to Emma and Henry," With that Snow stood and left the tent, presumably to help the others prepare for the night and the trip to Regina's castle the following morning.

oOoOo

Once Snow was gone, Regina stood up, stretching her limbs and popping her joints. She knew for certain that she looked a mess; if the way her body felt was any indication, she was in horrible shape. It was too soon to use magic; she was still woozy from using it to get everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. For now, she would have to suffer through the pain. Taking a calming breath, Regina made her way out of the tent in search of Robin Hood. It didn't take her long to find him; he was standing over what looked to be a shallow grave, more than likely belonging to one of his Merry Men.

"I'm sorry, Robin," Regina's voice was soft when she spoke, causing Robin to turn and look at her.

"Milady, you're injured," Robin immediately stood from his spot of mourning and moved towards her, carefully reaching out to touch her cheek.

"I'll be fine," Regina said dismissively.

"Can your magic fix this, your injuries I mean,"

"I'm taking it easy on the magic," Regina said softly.

"As you should, getting us here took a lot more out of you than you were expecting," Robin smiled.

"Speaking of us getting here…Robin, I-"

"I owe you an apology," Robin began, though this time it was Regina who cut him off.

"You don't owe me anything; I had no right to react the way that I did,"

"Regina-"

"He's your son; and I would've done the exact same thing with Henry if I were in your shoes," Regina felt her throat tighten at the mention of her son and did her best to swipe angrily at the tears that had begun to fall.

"It's alright to miss him you know," Robin gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"No, I can't, because if I do…" Regina felt her breath hitch as she was overwhelmed with grief at the thought of never seeing her son again.

Instantly, Robin had gathered her in his arms and together, they cried out their grief over their missing sons.

oOoOo

"…And so Regina possesses light magic?" Zelena stood listening to everything Rumplestiltskin told her about her new nemesis.

"She does, but she's new to it, but with time-"

"She could master it; and I assume that this, soulmate thing with Robin Hood makes it stronger?"

"Possibly," Rumple nodded.

"Don't beat around the bush with me, I want straightforward answers; yes or no. Could Regina's relationship with Robin make her light magic stronger?" Zelena demanded, using the dagger for leverage.

"It could if say…a child were to come into play," Rumple's eyebrows raised in suggestion.

"You mean like a baby?" Rumple nodded.

"But I thought you said Regina couldn't have children?" Zelena raised an eyebrow.

"She can't…"Rumple replied though Zelena caught the look in his eyes.

"What aren't you telling me?"

"Regina could never have children with _the king_ ; but with Robin Hood being her soulmate…"

"Anything is possible," Zelena swore out loud as she began pacing back and forth.

"What do you know about the Gray?" Zelena turned and asked Rumple who sighed heavily.

"Gray magic is only a myth; or have you forgotten our lessons on it,"

"You said that while it was a myth, that it could potentially be true; now, tell me all you know about it," Zelena commanded.

"Gray magic is like I said, an old wives tale, passed down by many a-sorcerers. It's said that any evidence of the Gray was destroyed when those who were said to be potential carriers of it were killed by the magic council. Though if the gray were still to exist, it would be considered as untamed, wild, unpredictable magic,"

"So you're saying that it's-"

"Unlike anything the universe has ever experienced," Rumple explained as Zelena paused.

"Is it true that it has the power to destroy light and dark magic?"

"The stories suggest that while it cannot completely destroy it, it can subdue it; but the implications of trying to subdue such magic would be dangerous," Zelena hummed in concentration.

"And exactly how would I go about destroying light magic?" Zelena asked, a sinister smile on her face as Rumple sighed, feeling the magic rush through him, forcing the answer out of his mouth.

"If the Gray did exist, you would need the forged blades of Excalibur and the blade of the Dark One. This sword and this sword alone has the power to cut down any and all magic," Zelena smiled wickedly at Rumple before asking her next question.

"Is it possible for a child born of soulmates to possess gray magic?"

"It's possible," Zelena grinned wickedly before disappearing into a cloud of green smoke.

Once he was sure that Zelena was gone, Neal immediately rushed towards his father, young Roland hesitantly following behind him.

"Are you alright papa?" Rumple smiled at the old moniker that Neal used, pretending not to notice.

"I'm fine son,"

"How are we gonna get outta here?" Rumple turned to his son and smiled once more.

"We don't," Neal frowned.

"We don't? But papa-"

"Zelena may have my dagger, but that doesn't mean she has the whole story,"

"What do you mean?"

"Zelena seems to have forgotten about my seer's power,"

"So that means…"

"That means that no matter what she does, she's still going to die," Neal looked at his father and smiled.

"There's something else I don't know, isn't there?" Rumple simply smirked and nodded his head.

"What's coming next is something that no one would've expected; you see, when I first met Zelena I sensed something about her that made me start digging into her background,"

"What'd you find out?"

"I found out that Cora broke a deal with me, though this is one deal I'm glad she did break," Neal looked at his father as if he'd grown a third head.

"What does Regina's mother have to do with any of this?"

"Cora has everything to do with this; you see, fate has a way of bringing things full circle. Cora broke a deal with me and now, I'm about to reap the rewards of her breaking that deal," Neal looked at his father and shook his head.

"This is some mystical Dark One stuff that I'm never gonna get, right?"

"As long as we're here and Zelena has my dagger, the truth can never be revealed,"

"Okay, so how the hell do we get out of here?"

"We don't, but we have to make sure that little Roland here does; and when he does, he's going to deliver some very important information to our friends that could potentially save us all,"

 _Chapter 25 to follow…_


	26. Chapter 24

**We're jumping ahead a bit, maybe about three and a half months since the gang arrived back in the Enchanted Forest. We'll figure out what Zelena's been up to as well as if Rumple has a plan to free himself, Neal and Roland.**

 **Trigger warning for mentions of torture and assault.**

* * *

Snow White was not expecting the news she received that morning. She knew that the signs were apparent, but she didn't want to believe it.

"And you're certain?" Snow looked into the eyes of the Blue Fairy who smiled.

"I'm certain; you're going to have a baby," Snow shook her head slowly before turning away from Blue.

"What am I supposed to do with a baby here in the Enchanted Forest? I've been through this before with Emma and…oh god, I can't do this," Snow felt the air leave her body as the realization hit her: she was moving on, without Emma.

"Your majesty?" Blue glanced over at Snow, a worried look in her eyes.

"Emma…I can't do this to her," Snow looked up at Blue with mournful eyes; before Blue can respond Regina is opening the door to Snow's bedroom.

"Snow I…oh, I'm interrupting," Regina doesn't spare Blue a passing glance before she attempts to close the door.

"Regina!" And there's something in the way Snow says her name that makes Regina take pause.

"What is it Snow?" Regina carefully closes the door behind her, because whatever is about to come next is big; she can sense it.

"I'm pregnant,"

Well, there's something she wasn't expecting to hear come out of Snow White's mouth. Regina doesn't have time to respond before Snow is pacing back and forth, rambling as she goes.

"I can't believe it; Charming and I weren't even trying…" Regina cringes at the unpleasant image Snow had just forced into her head.

"I'm not ready to be a mother again, I don't know how, and now with the Wicked Witch on the loose I stand to lose this baby just like I lost Emma…" Regina stood and listened to Snow rant and panic for all of three minutes before she was standing in front of her, hands firmly placed on her shoulders.

"Please stop pacing; just looking at you is making me dizzy," Snow stood still, though her eyes were still filled with fear.

"Listen to me Snow; I know that this…news is scary. I can't imagine how you feel, having another baby after losing Emma. Now, I can't make Zelena go away, but I can promise to do everything in my power to make sure that this baby is okay and that nothing happens to him or her."

Snow looked up at Regina with hopeful eyes and smiled before taking a deep breath.

"I trust you Regina," Snow nodded as Regina smiled; the two women shared a silent moment in which they communicated about Emma and Henry. Blue stood off to the side watching the moment before clearing her throat.

"You need to take it easy Snow; this baby has magic, I can feel it," Snow turned to Blue and nodded seriously.

"Thank you Blue; I'd had my suspicions but I wasn't sure," Blue simply nodded, not bothering to acknowledge Regina's presence.

"Anytime, and Snow?" Snow looked up as Blue walked away.

"Congratulations," Snow smiled softly before accepting the news and asking Blue to keep it to herself, which of course she agreed to do.

"I don't like her," Regina muttered, keeping her eyes trained on the door.

"Regina, give her a chance," Snow admonished.

"I have haven't I? I'm letting her stay here in my castle while she takes cheap shots about how I haven't changed and how I'm going to get everyone killed,"

"Not everyone knows the person you've become; give her some time," Regina rolled her eyes but obliged.

"So, how are things going with you and Robin?" Snow's lips turned upwards into a grin as Regina felt a heat creep up the back of her neck.

"Robin and I aren't having sex if that's what you're asking,"

"I never asked if you were having sex...but since you brought it up…"

"No, Snow! I couldn't…we're both trying to get over losing our sons," Snow sighed heavily, wrapping an arm around Regina.

"For what it's worth, I think Henry would like him; and I think he'd want you to at least try and be happy," Regina rolled her eyes at Snow, turning to face the open window nearby.

"I won't ever be fully happy until I have Henry back safely in my arms,"

"And until then, Henry wouldn't want you to be miserable,"

"Are you going to tell Charming about the baby?" Snow looked down at her feet before biting her lip.

"Charming is the one who sent Blue to check on me," Regina's eyebrows raise.

"Oh,"

"I think he'll be…thrilled; am I wrong for not being thrilled? I mean, I know I told him before that I wanted more children but-"

"Not like this? I get it," Regina nods.

"Did you think about it, having children? I mean, I know you've got Henry but-"

"I wanted them with Daniel...your father certainly tried to but-"

"Let's not talk about my father; I think I heard enough about him while we were in Neverland,"

"About that Snow…" Snow held up a hand.

"I understand; you were young, so was I. I guess things worked out the way they were supposed to," Regina nodded.

"Yeah, I guess they did,"

oOoOo

Zelena smiled triumphantly as she held a magic bean in her hand. It had taken her months to fully get the information out of Rumplestiltskin (he was a stubborn one, though there was nothing that a little motivation from the Dark One Blade that couldn't do the trick), but she knew everything she needed to about Gray magic and had finally devised a plan that was sure to destroy Regina.

"Alright you; you know what you're supposed to do?" Neal stood at Zelena's side, looking less than interested in the mission he was about to go on.

"I'm supposed to go to Camelot and somehow find the blade of Excalibur, bring it to you so that you can forge it with my father's blade," Neal rolled his eyes; his father said that no matter what Zelena did, her plan would fail. So why in the hell was he about to get sent through a portal to Camelot?

"Good boy; and if you succeed, I'll show you how to get to Emma and Henry," Zelena ran a hand along Neal's chest.

"And you promise not to hurt Roland?" Neal felt as though it were his responsibility to look after the young boy, seeing as his own father was under Zelena's control and he was the reason Roland was separated from Robin to begin with.

"Fine, the brat stays alive," Zelena huffed before handing Neal the magic bean.

"You know where to go?"

"I've used a magic bean for time travel a time or two," Neal deadpanned.

"Oh, you mean like that time you tried to use one to get your father to leave the Enchanted Forest and he betrayed you?" Zelena taunted; she knew which buttons to push for both Rumple and Neal.

"He's doing as you asked," Rumple muttered from the large case he was imprisoned in.

"Oh, I'm sorry, does talking about the one deal you broke in your entire life upset you Dark One?" Zelena made her way over to the cell, teasing Rumple with his dagger.

"Now, you're gonna sit in this cell like a good little pet, understood?" Rumple relucatantly nodded before Zelena turned her attention towards Neal.

"My magic will transport you to the clearing; from there you'll-"

"I got it, I got it," Zelena scowled.

"If you keep that attitude up I'll be forced to kill you,"

"If you kill me who's going to go to Camelot? You can't send my father because one look at him and Arthur will know he's the Dark One, or did you forget that Arthur wants the same thing as you do?" Neal challenged.

"Once you're back with that sword, I won't have any use for you or the little hobbit you're so hell bent on protecting," With a wave of her hand, Neal was engulfed in a cloud of Zelena's smoke before disappearing.

"Now that Bae is off fulfilling your end of the bargin, I belive you still your half to uphold," Rumple reminded her.

"I said I'd release the little hobbit, didn't I?" Zelena turned her attention towards Roland, who quickly cowered in fear in the corner.

"I'm not going to hurt you; I'm just going to send you home to your father," Roland looked up at her with distrustful eyes, forcing Zelena to suppress an eye roll of her own.

"Fine? Don't believe me, have a look for yourself then," Zelena conjured a magic mirror into her hands, which she held out to Roland.

He looked in awe as he saw his father, safe and sound in what appeared to be a large castle.

oOoOo

Robin quietly made his way down the hall for lunch; he missed his son terribly, but knew that he had to keep going. Snow, Charming, and Regina were all planning a rescue mission to get Roland, Neal, and Rumplestiltskin back. Still, even with all of their planning and reassurances, Robin's hope that he would ever see his son alive again began to dwindle. The only thing that kept his spirits up were stories from Snow about how she sunconsciously lived with the hope that Emma would find them after Regina's curse broke.

Speaking of Regina…while she was still leery and guarded around him, their relationship was slowly beginning to mend itself. She too would also tell him stories of how she had lost Henry for a brief time, but only due to her actions as The Evil Queen. She also shared stories with him of Henry's childhood and how hard it had been to raise a child on her own with no father. The more she showed herself to him, the more Robin began to realize that he was falling for her. Sure, she wasn't the most pleasant to be around, and she would never show her soft and vulnerable side to anyone else, but the bits of humanity he saw within her made loving her all the more easier.

"Have you eaten today?" Robin is shaken out of his thoughts of Roland and Regina by Tinekrbell, the young fairy responsible for this whole pixie dust fiasco.

"Can I ask you something?" Tinkerbell smiled brightly at him.

"Sure, anything,"

"Why were you so determined for Regina to find happiness? Didn't the Blue Fairy tell you that-"

"I was drawn to her; they say each Fairy has a person they're meant to look after and…Regina happened to be that person. It was my job as a fairy to try and help her, but Blue…she was very adamant on us not helping Regina," Robin frowned.

"Why didn't she want you helping her?"

"Because she said Regina came from a bad lineage, one so bad that it was beyond saving,"

"Surely she was wrong if you saw some good in her that was worthy enough to be saved," Robin said with a smile.

"I saw the good in her but I also saw something else as well,"

"What else did you see?"

"Regina's magic is…special; it was never meant to be dark magic. I thought that if I helped her become happy again then-"

"It would stop her from becoming evil?" Tinkerbell nodded.

"It didn't; but my magic must've been right if it brought you two back together all these years later and Regina now has access to light magic," Robin hummed in response.

"What do you think would've happened if you hadn't used your pixie dust to help Regina?"

"We wouldn't be standing here having this conversation; the night I met her, she was going to jump from her balcony. In fact, she was falling from the balcony when I saved her," Robin shook his head.

"She was that unhappy?"

"She was," Tinkerbell nodded.

"What's stopping her from going back to that place now?"

"She's got things to live for; Henry…you," Robin sighed and shook his head.

"I'm not something she has to live for; if anything, she's living so that she can hopefully get back to her boy," Tinkerbell smiled, placing a hand on Robin's bicep.

"Trust me when I say that you are part of the reason Regina's even fighting...Regina may have ran from my pixie dust, but she cannot run from her fate anymore than you can yours," Just as she finished talking, Tinkerbell's eyes conneted with Regina's.

"I'll see you around Robin," She gave Regina a single headnod as she walked by.

"You two seemed to be engaged in quite the conversation," Regina said as she matched Robin's pace.

"That we were," Robin reached out to lace their fingers together; Regina didn't seem to mind.

"Snow and Charming think that we could be getting Roland back soon,"

"That sounds good; we'll be one step closer to uniting you with Henry," Regina sighed heavily.

"No, we won't; Robin that curse was specific, I can't have any contact with Henry, ever,"

"You will; I have hope Regina," She scoffed, staring down at the floor.

"It's hard to have any of that when you've done what I've done," Robin stopped and moved to stand in front of her.

"I believe in you; and I know that you are going to find your son," Regina looked at him with tears in her eyes and shook her head sadly.

"Looks like your'e gonna have to keep the hope alive for the both of us," Robin nodded, silently vowing to himself that he would.

oOoOo

Roland's eyes lit up with glee at the sight of his father, safe and sound as he talked to Regina.

"Do you believe me now?" Zelena asked, taking the mirror from Roland.

"Yes," Zelena rolled her eyes at Roland before instructing him to stand near the doorway.

"I'm going to use my magic to send you to your father," Roland nodded in understanding as Zelena's magic whisked him away in a cloud of green smoke.

"We both know that Regina's castle is virtually magic proof; there's no way the boy will get anywhere near her castle. If anything, the magic surrounding the castle will kill him," Rumple said as Zelena looked over at him with a sheepish grin.

"Ooops," She laughed before calling for one of her flying monkeys.

"I want you to go and find out where the little hobbit landed and when you find him…kill him, and drop his corpse as close to Regina's castle you can get," the monkey (which was Alan-a-Dale) screeched loudly before flying out of one of the castle windows.

Meanwhile in his cage, Rumple shook his head at Zelena; she had no idea what she was up against. Their eyes met and immediately she was standing in front of his cage, a bored look etched across her face.

"Tell me Dark One, how does it feel to know that soon enough, I'm going to ruin your little protégé Regina and make you regret not choosing me to cast your Dark Curse?" Zelena leaned into the cage a bit, using the dagger to press aginst his cheek.

"You may have my dagger, but you still can't change your destiny; and your destiny was sealed long ago," Zelena frowned.

"What do you know about my destiny?" She questioned.

"...Let's just say that it's no coincidence that you were never supposed to be the one to cast my curse," Rumple shrugged as Zelena's ire grew.

"So it was always her then?" Rumple nodded as Zelena placed the dagger against his neck, applying just enough pressure to where she caused him to bleed.

"If you kill me, you'll never get what you want; the power will consume you," Rumple looked boldly into her eyes as she shoved him away.

"I will get everything that I wanted; I will destroy Regina and I will make sure of it that you regret the day you chose that witch over me!" Zelena's body shook with anger as Rumple stood there, seemingly unphased by what she'd just said.

"Since you seem to only fear me when I'm holding the dagger in my hands…" Zelena whipped out the dagger, using it to force Rumple to his knees. She reveled in the power she had over him.

"If you don't have any regrets over not choosing me to cast your curse then I'm sure we can come up with some way for you to be…punished," Zelena glanced around the room until her eyes fell on a silver chest that sat in a nearby corner.

"What's in that chest?" Zelena commanded..

"I said, what's in the chest?" The power of the dagger proved to be too strong for Rumple; his knees shook, forcing him even further into the ground.

"…Torture devices," Zelena wore a rueful smile as she walked towards the chest, forcing Rumple to show her how to open it.

"I think we could use a little fun…I was lurking around this place and found a dungeon. What say we go down into the dungeon and have a little fun, shall we?" Zelena used her magic to open Rumple's cage, forcing him out of it and down into the dungeon.

By the time they returned, Rumple was barely able to stand, his clothes were tattered and his body had taken quite the beaten; the sun was just beginning to rise the next morning.

 _Chapter 26 to follow…_


	27. Chapter 25

Neal sighed heavily as he stood in front of Lake Nostos; he didn't want to do this but, his family and his friends safety depended on it. Closing his eyes, he removed the magic bean from his pocket and threw it into the lake. He ears began to hurt as the water swirled loudly around him, creating a portal.

"Well, here goes nothing," Taking a deep breath, Neal jumped into the vortex.

Camelot

His chest burned as he came up for air; it took him a moment to realize that he had landed in a lake. Suddenly thankful that his father taught him how to swim at a young age, Neal doggie paddled towards the shore, though when he reached the shore he was met by a group of knights.

"Who are you?" One of the guards pulled him up by his hair, causing him to let out a hiss of pain.

"I'm looking for King Arthur…anybody know where I can find him?"

The Enchanted Forest:

Roland landed on the ground with a thud; his eyes stung from the impact of the fall. His chest burned as he tried to take a deep breath; the fall knocked the wind out of him. When he tried to stand up, he felt a searing pain in his ankle; it was twisted. Looking around, he couldn't recognize what area of the forest he was in. Still, though, Roland was determined to find his father; he hobbled down the dirt road, hoping to see something familiar. He walked until he grew tired and decided to take a rest on a nearby rock. The sun was high in the sky and beat down on him fiercely; he was hungry and scared. After a few moments rest stood up, shifting his weight to his good leg as he continued down the road. He stopped when he heard the sound of wings flapping followed by a loud screech. He turned around; one of Zelena's flying monkeys was headed towards him.

Roland tried his very best to run but ended up falling over a broken tree branch. His cowered on the ground as the beast's shadow hovered over him. He let out a yelp of pain when he felt the creature's claws dig into his skin. It carried him several hundred yards from where he'd fallen, though in the distance he swore he could see a castle, but it didn't belong to Zelena. Once they landed on the ground, the best began screeching at him, shoving him in the opposite direction. Roland looked at the creature, completely confused. Again, the beast screeched at him, shoving him in the direction of the castle. Suddenly, Roland understood; the flying monkey was letting him go. As he attempted to touch the monkey, it jumped back, still screeching at him. Roland smiled but headed in the opposite direction; he papa had to be somewhere nearby.

oOoOo

Regina and Robin were sitting in the dining hall with Snow and Charming having lunch. Granny had prepared a magnificent meal for them as Ruby helped her serve. The mood among the heroes was…slightly tense; Regina noticed how much Snow had her eyes on she and Robin and it quickly became annoying.

"We may have found a way around the protection spells of Rumplestiltskin's castle," Charming informed them as Robin's eyebrow rose in suspicion.

"I lived there after the curse broke; it's near impossible to get inside," Now it was Regina's turn to raise an eyebrow; a glint of curiosity and amusement in her eyes.

"Yet somehow you managed to not only break in but become a squatter as well,"

"Yes, well, as you've stated so many times, I'm nothing more than a common thief; I've learned to outrun and outsmart a many powerful sorcerers in my lifetime,"

"That still doesn't explain how you got inside," Robin smirked.

"If I told you that milady, I'd have to kill you," Regina did her best to suppress a smile before turning her attention to Snow.

"What's your plan for getting into Rumple's castle?" But before Snow could open her mouth, Grumpy burst into the great hall completely out of breath.

"Grumpy, what's wrong?" Charming was the first to stand up as everyone else's eyes were trained on the dwarf.

"You two are gonna wanna see this," Grumpy huffed, pointing at Robin and Regina.

oOoOo

Immediately, they both stood and quickly followed Grumpy out of the dining hall and down the hallway. They vaguely promised to inform Snow and Charming on whatever was going on once they had returned.

"Grumpy, what's-" Robin's voice was filled with concern

"I was told not to tell you anything; I'm just the messenger," Grumpy said nothing more, he moved at a hurried pace, taking a sharp left down the corridor towards the fairies living quarters.

"It must be something magical if we're going to see the fairies," Regina murmured to Robin.

"Yes, but why would they want me to come with you instead of Snow and Charming?" Regina shrugged her shoulders as they came to a stop in front of Mother Superior's room.

"Wait here," Grumpy instructed before disappearing behind the door.

"What could possibly be so important that-"Robin began just as Tinkerbell emerged from the room.

"Regina, Blue wants to see you," Tinkerbell's voice sounded serious but her eyes told a different story.

"Okay; but why did she send for Robin and me?" Tinkerbell sighed, glancing over at Robin for a moment before turning her attention back to Regina.

"I'm not at liberty to say just yet; we'll come back for him as soon as you're done,"

"Done with what?"

"There's no time for questions…Regina, you're the only one who can help," Taking a deep breath, Regina turned to Robin, promising to tell him what was going on.

When she entered the room, her heart stopped; lying on the bed was a nearly lifeless Roland.

"Now I see why you made Robin wait outside; how did he-"

"We don't know; the dwarves found him while they were out patrolling the perimeter of the castle," Tinkerbell informed her.

Regina moved closer to the bed, taking in the extent of Roland's injuries; his clothes were tattered, his ankle was well beyond twisted, and he had numerous cuts and gashes all over his body.

"Is he-"

"No, but if we don't do something to help him soon, he will be," Regina looked up at the sound of Blue's voice.

"His injuries are far deeper than anything our magic can do for him,"Blue nodded, almost urging Regina to help him.

Regina hovered over Roland's small body and took a shivering breath; he reminded her so much of Henry. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calling forth her magic. It took a few moments but, the room began to pulsate with a light colored magic. She hadn't practiced magic in a while so it quickly became draining, causing her hands to shake. After a while, the color began to come back into Roland's cheeks; the bruises on his arms and legs slowly disappeared. Once the magic had done its work, Regina lowered her hands, a bit of sweat forming on her brow.

"Did it work? Why isn't he waking up?" Tinkerbell was at her side, doing her best to hold Regina steady.

"He put up a quite fight with whoever or whatever did this to him. His injuries might be healed, but his body needs time to recover. He'll be asleep for a while…how did he get here?" Regina turned her attention towards Blue.

"As we said before, we don't know,"

"What if this was the Wicked Witch's doing?" Tinkerbell asked.

"It's possible, but I'm not so sure," Regina murmured.

"What makes you think it wasn't her?" Blue raised an eye at her.

"If she did this, we'll figure it out what her next move is and why she let him go; I need to go meet with Snow and Charming. Tink, could you-" Regina turned to look at the young fairy who already knew what her request was.

"I'll go get him; go, figure out what she's up to," Regina nodded, taking a brief glance at Roland before disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke.

oOoOo

Zelena was furious as her flying monkey stood in front of her.

"You didn't kill him; in fact, you did those heroes a favor, you led him to them," Zelena paced back and forth across the floor, giving the flying monkey a death glare every now and then.

"Well, since you can't trust you to get the job done, I have to have a little leverage to make sure you cooperate," With that, Zelena shoved her hand into the flying monkey's chest, ripping out his heart. She looked at it, watching as the flying monkey screeched and howled in pain.

"Oh, relax; I'm not going to kill you, but you are going to kill the boy," Zelena grinned, holding the heart up to her mouth as she instructed the flying monkey to make sure that Roland was dead and not to come back until he was.

"You made a deal with Bae that Roland would be safe," Rumple's hands wrapped around the bars of his cage; he was still weak from being tortured the previous night.

"As far as Neal knows, Roland is safe; so technically, I didn't break a deal. And if I did, there's no one here to stop me…unless, of course, you'd like to try," Zelena laughed as Rumple shook his head.

"What's wrong Dark One? No fancy retort about how I'm going to fail or how my destiny's already been sealed?" Zelena leaned against a table, trailing her fingers along the dagger.

"I have nothing to say to you," Rumple's face was hard, though he knew he couldn't do anything to her just yet, he had to remain calm. She had yet to realize that he hadn't been exactly truthful with her and he wanted to keep it that way.

"Hm. Perhaps that little stint in the dungeon did you a bit of good," Zelena pushed herself off of the table, reaching over to grab her magic mirror.

"Let's check on Neal and see how his mission is going, shall we?"

oOo

Regina stood in front of Snow and Charming as she relayed the news to them about Roland.

"And you're certain?" Charming's hand was protectively placed around Snow's waist, resting on her belly, a sign that he knew about the pregnancy.

"It was him, but I still don't know why Zelena let him go," Regina wondered aloud.

"Because she made a deal with Neal, though she never meant to keep it; Roland believes she took the heart of the flying monkey who saved him," Everyone turned at the sound of Robin's voice.

"Robin is Roland-"

"He only woke up a short time ago; he told me everything before he fell asleep. He said that Zelena's planning on destroying magic but Rumplestiltskin said it was impossible," This time, Robin's eyes were trained on Belle.

"Can magic even be destroyed?" Snow looked to Regina for answers; she had trained with Rumple for years, surely he had to have told her something.

"As far as I know of, no, it can't be; though I'm sure Belle might know more than me," Belle looked shocked; _Regina Mills was admitting that Belle was more versed in magic than she was?_

"Belle, what can you tell us," Charming asked, causing all attention to fall on her.

"Well, as far as I know, it's nothing more than an old wives tale," Belle had been quiet since Rumple was taken by Zelena. She answered any questions the heroes had; anything to get her closer to holding Rumple in her arms again. Though when she wasn't answering their questions, she was alone in her room, worrying about Rumple and what the Wicked Witch could be doing to him.

"Anything you might know could be helpful…please, Belle," it was surprising to hear Regina asking for help; but she understood her pain and wanted to do anything she could to make sure everyone got the happy ending they deserved, yes, even Regina.

"A long time ago when magic was still in its early stages, a sword was created in order to keep magic from going awry and to keep a sort of balance. This blade was rumored to have the power to control all magic and possibly destroy it. However, when the Dark One was created, it caused a shift in the balance of power, and so the sorcerer separated the two blades, leaving us with the blade of the Dark One and the other half of the sword's existence unknown,"

"So if these two blades are put together, then if they get into the wrong hands…"

"Magic could change or even cease to exist as we know it," Belle's eyes locked with Regina's; it seemed as if they both understood what Zelena's plan was.

"Robin, exactly what did Roland tell you?" Regina had moved towards him, though she kept a decent amount of distance between them, it was obvious to everyone that something was going on between them.

"He didn't say much, except something about Grey magic and Neal being sent to Camelot," A confused expression came across the faces of the heroes.

"Why would she send Neal to Camelot?" Snow frowned.

"And what does all of this have to do with Regina?" Charming now eyed the queen, wondering exactly what role she played in all of this.

"Well, if Zelena's going to Camelot it must mean that she thinks the other half of the sword is there," Belle mused.

"That makes sense, but I'm still confused; what does any of that have to do with me?"

"Which is exactly why we need to get Rumple out of her grasp; I suspect that she's already taken control of his dagger, and if she's sent Neal to Camelot-"

"Then if she finds the other half of that blade, she plans on forging the two together to create the sword," Charming said.

"We can't let her find the other half of that blade, because if she does-" Robin let out a sigh of worry, causing Regina to gently squeeze his hand.

"And we won't; Grumpy, assemble the dwarves and the fairies. Robin, Regina, Belle, you three are coming with me to Rumplestiltskin's castle," Charming stood tall among the heroes, silently vowing not to let Zelena do any more harm to them, especially since he had another child to protect.

 _Chapter 27 to follow…_


	28. Chapter 26

**Trigger warning for reference/mention/implication of suicidal thoughts.**

* * *

Though their regime was small, the heroes were able to defeat Zelena, effectively freeing Rumple from her grasp. It was easier than they expected; with Robin and Belle knowing the ins and outs of the castle, getting in was no problem. However, with Zelena having control of Rumple made getting to him just a little bit harder. Nevertheless, the heroes were able to catch her off guard and free him. Most of Robin's Merry Men were lost in the casualties as well as several men from their camp. Though their initial plan was to subdue Zelena's magic, she managed to escape.

"Don't worry; we've got Rumplestiltskin," Charming said to Regina, who was more than frustrated.

Belle immediately rushed towards Rumple, holding her in his arms as she cupped his face.

"Rumple, are you alright?" She studied him; he looked worn, tired, hurt.

"I'm fine Belle," Rumple's voice was slightly shaky as he wrapped his arms around her.

"As much as I hate to break up this little reunion, we need to get out of here before Zelena decides to return. And something tells me she'll be back with a vengeance," Rumple glanced at Regina and nodded as Belle helped him onto his feet.

"Regina's right; we don't know where Zelena is or what she'll have planned. We need to get back to the castle as soon as possible to plot our next move," Charming said, though Regina knew that he was eager to check on Snow.

oOo

Once they returned to the castle, Regina made her way back to her chambers, though she was stopped by Robin.

"I never got the chance to say thank you, for helping Roland the other day," Regina shook her head and smiled.

"It's nothing; it was the least I could do considering I was the reason he was taken from you in the first place," Robin sighed as he reached out to grab her hand.

"Regina, what happened in Storybrooke wasn't your fault," Regina shook her head.

"Robin, if we hadn't fallen in love with each other then…" Regina's eyes widened as she silently cursed herself. She hadn't intended say that, in fact, she wasn't even sure he felt that way. If she were more honest, she wasn't even sure she was in love with him. She knew she felt something but love? She wasn't so sure.

"Regina, my feelings for you are nothing that I'm ashamed of, nor should you be," Robin gave Regina a lopsided smile as her heart leaped into her chest.

"You, you have feelings for me?" Robin gave Regina's hand a little squeeze.

"Regina, what I told you in Neverland still stands true; I understand that you were angry with me because I lied, and for that, I'm truly sorry, but-" Regina leaned forward, placing a finger on Robin's lips.

"I'm sorry Robin; I should've known that you wouldn't do something like that to me on purpose. I'm sorry for how I reacted when we first got here," Robin reached up and took her other hand into his and pressed it to his lips.

"It's quite alright love; if I were in your shoes, I would've done the same," Regina stepped forward, pressing their foreheads together, allowing them to just be. Their intimate moment was quickly interrupted by Tinkerbell.

"Oh, I…sorry for interrupting," She said with a smile.

"Is there something you want moth?" Regina snapped.

"Snow and Charming wanted to see you, both of you; Rumplestiltskin's ready to talk," Regina gave Robin's hand a squeeze as they made their way into the dining hall.

oOoOo

Robin felt out of place being in a meeting with heroes and magical beings, but for whatever reason, he'd been invited as well. He sat next to Regina, though her body language was stiff; she denied any soft touches or any other advances he made towards her.

"Rumple, never thought I'd say this but, it's good to have you back," Regina and the imp had quite the complicated relationship, but deep down the two shared a fondness for one another.

"Regina, it would seem you're once again at the center of our latest crisis," Rumple replied coolly.

"Exactly what does all of this have to do with Regina?" The Blue Fairy asked; though Regina didn't like being anywhere near the woman, her presence was requested, seeing as she was one of the few with serious magical insight.

"I believe you know exactly how Regina became Zelena's target Mother Superior," Rumple gave the fairy a strange look, which was enough to draw looks of curiosity.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Dark One,"

"Very well then; it looks as if I'll have to do all of the explaining. As Belle filled you all in, Zelena is on…quite an interesting quest,"

"Is it true Gold? Can magic be destroyed?" Regina's eyes were now locked on her mentor.

"Destroyed? No," Rumple shook his head.

"So if it can't be destroyed then what can be done to it?" Snow asked.

"While Zelena had me under her control, she forced me to tell her things, but what she wasn't counting on was that my seer ability predicted her fate a long time ago," Rumple smirked.

"And what fate might that be?" Robin asked.

"Zelena believes that she can destroy Regina, but in all actuality, she'll be destroyed at the hands of Regina," Everyone in the room turned to look at Regina as the Blue Fairy scoffed.

"The reason Zelena is after Regina is that she was given a prophecy by Glinda the Goodwitch that said she'd be destroyed at the hands of a very powerful sorceress,"

"How can that be so? Regina and Zelena are both evil," Regina opened her mouth to say something refrained after Snow shook her head not to.

"It may be true, but Regina now possesses light magic,"

"Okay, so she was given a prophecy that said she'd be defeated by me; then why in the hell is she going after some sword that may or may not have the power to destroy magic?"

"Perhaps I should clarify; what Zelena seeks is far worse than the sword; the sword is only a means to an end, or so she thinks," Rumple said, causing Regina to groan in annoyance.

"Enough with the riddle Gold; what the hell is going on?"

"The sword Zelena seeks does not have the power to destroy magic, but it is very powerful. Many years ago, a man by the name of Merlin was a foot soldier in the army. One day while out in the desert, he and a friend come across a strange cup, known to us as the Holy Grail. After watching his friend turn to ash for daring to drink from the cup, Merlin was forced to choose between dying of thirst or dying at the hands of the grail. He took a chance and drank from the grail and surprisingly, he lived. Several hundred years later, Merlin acquired an apprentice and soon began crafting a magical hat, now known as the sorcerer's hat. The sorcerer's hat had the ability to absorb and accumulate any and all types of magic. Because the hat was so dangerous, Merlin enchanted it so that only one whose heart had not been tainted by the darkness could control it,"

"But what does this have to do with Regina?" Charming asked as Rumple rolled his eyes.

"I'm getting to that. After creating the sorcerer's hat and charging his apprentice with the task of guarding it, Merlin met a woman by the name of Nimue. The two fell madly in love and sought to marry, though Merlin worried that his immortality will be a problem for them. Wanting to spend the rest of his life with Nimue as a mortal, Merlin used the first spark of man's original fire to craft a sword out of the Holy Grail. His initial plan was to use the sword to rid himself of his magic and thereby, his immortality. But what Merlin wasn't counting on was for Nimue to drink from the grail before he turned it into the sword.

"Something tells me this story ends badly," Robin muttered as Rumple continued,

"While on their way to the site of the first spark of fire, Nimue drank from the grail. When Nimue was fatally wounded during an attack by Vortigan but does not die, Merlin realizes what she'd done. Nimue's newfound power gave her the ability to kill Vortigan by ripping his heart out and as a result darkening her heart,"

"Wait…the sword; Nimue was the first the Dark One, wasn't she?" Regina asked as Rumple nodded.

"Indeed; Nimue was the first Dark One. And as you know, the power of darkness is alluring. And Nimue, like every person who indulges in dark magic, was unable to overcome it. Fearing that Merlin would take away her power, she split the blade in half and stole the remaining spark of fire,"

"So, what happened to the sword?" Robin asked.

"Merlin fashioned one half into what is now known as the blade of the Dark One; he tethered Nimue to it, in order to protect the realms from her."

"And the other half of the blade?" Charming asked.

"The other half of the blade was placed into a stone; it was removed by a young man named Arthur. Merlin met him in Camelot and prophesized to him that he would become a great ruler as a result of the sword," Regina sighed.

"So that's why Zelena sent Neal to Camelot," Rumple nodded.

"If Zelena gets her hands on that blade…but wait, what does that have to do with me defeating her?" Regina asked as Rumple sighed.

"Let's just say, it's your destiny to defeat Zelena," He said with a smirk.

oOoOo

Zelena was furious, absolutely positively furious as she used her magic to toss tables across the room. How had she not seen this coming? Of course, she anticipated that at some point those idiot heroes would come, but she wasn't expecting them to take her by surprise. She looked around at the carnage, at the bodies of the former flying monkeys on the ground. She slammed her hand on a nearby table; she needed to do something, anything to get her revenge.

Glancing around the room, Zelena's eyes fell on a bookshelf, a particular book to be exact. She could feel it, the pull of magic pulsating from the book. Carefully, she pulled the book off of the shelf and opened it. To her satisfaction, it was an ancient spellbook, however, there was just one problem.

The book was written in an ancient tongue and the only ancient tongue Zelena knew was Elvish. Letting out a groan of frustration, Zelena threw the book against a nearby wall. Again she was surprised when the book hit the wall and was blown back by magic. She tilted her head to the side in curiosity.

"What are you hiding in there Rumple?"

She cautiously made her way towards the bookshelf and reached out to touch it; she was shocked with magic.

"Clever little imp," she muttered as she began to search for a way to break the spell; she was certain that her clue to figuring out what was in that spellbook was behind that wall.

oOoOo

It felt extremely good for Robin to be able to safely tuck his son into bed that night. He closed the door once he was sure that Roland was asleep and sighed. Unable to leave his son's side, he slid down the wall, resting his head in his lap.

"You know, contrary to popular belief, beds are very nice to sleep in," Robin looked up to find Regina standing in front of him, though she was dressed as casual as he'd ever seen her since they returned to the Enchanted Forest. She wore dark colored pants that looked less restricting than her usual garb. Her top was light and flowing but matched the darkness of her pants. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail. She seemed…anxious, but somehow relaxed.

"I had every intention of going to my own room but…"

"You couldn't bear to leave him huh?" Regina smiled as Robin nodded.

"You seem to understand that,"

"I do; I was like that once we got back from Neverland. I wanted to spend every waking moment with Henry," Robin reached out and took her hand in his; she surprised him by moving to sit next to him.

"If you don't mind me asking, how are you holding up?" Regina was quiet for a moment before responding.

"We've been here for 115 days, six hours, four minutes and twenty-two seconds. And every moment that passes I want to rip my heart out of my chest. When I'm alone in my room, I pull it out and just…it makes being here easier," Robin's hand squeezed Regina's even tighter.

"I may not know Henry very well but-" Regina quickly reached up to wipe away a stray tear.

"I know; Henry wouldn't want me to do that, but it doesn't mean that I haven't longed for a sleeping curse. If I knew where Maleficent was I'd trade her anything she wanted for her sleeping curse…but then that small, traitorous part of my heart wonders what Henry would think if we were able to get back to him and I was…" Robin moved closer to Regina, carefully wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I can't say that I know exactly how you feel, but every moment I've been away from Roland I was willing to give anything, my life if necessary to get him back,"

"And you have him," Regina sniffed, keeping her eyes on the wall opposite them.

"And I'd give anything for you to have your boy back," Regina turned to face Robin and shook her head sadly.

"After all I've done to you after how I tried to kill you when we-" Robin placed a hand on her lips to silence her.

"You weren't without reason for what you did," Regina shook her head sadly.

"I'm trouble Robin," He simply smiled back at her, moving into her space.

"Perhaps I have a thing for a little trouble," Regina felt her breath hitch as he moved closer. She wanted this, wanted him, but her heart wasn't ready. Instead, she braced a hand against his chest to stop him.

"I…I'm sorry, but I can't," she shook her head, unable to keep her tears at bay.

"I understand Regina," He placed a reasonable amount of space between them, though he never let go of her hand.

Regina sighed heavily; she wanted to be with Robin, but her heart only wanted one person. There was no way she could give herself, her heart, to Robin without feeling guilty about Henry. Starting anything with Robin would be like moving on without Henry. Sure, Snow and Charming may have been able to do it, but they had each other. Yes, she could have Robin, but loving him would mean loving his son, and that was the hardest part. It was obvious that Roland was in desperate need of some motherly attention, but every time she looked at him, all she could see was Henry at that age.

"I can hear your thoughts; what's got you so troubled?" Robin still held her hand, gently rubbing his thumb across the top of her hand as she took a shuddering breath.

"I…" Whatever she was about to say was interrupted by Granny Lucas bursting into the hallway, her eyes wide and alert.

"Granny, what's going on?" Regina stood carefully as Robin helped her to her feet.

"Something's coming, something bad; my wolf senses can feel it," Granny's face was hard as she stared at Regina, hoping that she too could sense it.

Closing her eyes, Regina tried to see if she could tap into whatever Granny's wolf senses were picking up on. She quickly opened her eyes and shook her head and turned her attention to Granny.

"I don't sense anything magical,"

"That's because I never said it was magic; what I'm picking up on is death. It's coming, and fast,"

 _Chapter 28 to follow…_


	29. Chapter 27

**Warning: Semi Major/Minor Character deaths as well as implied sex.**

 ***A portion of this chapter was taken from the Disney movie "The Black Cauldron" but was altered slightly to fit the needs of the story***

* * *

"And Granny, you're sure you sensed death?" Snow White and the other heroes stood in the middle of the dining hall as Granny Lucas relayed the message to them.

"I'm certain, I can feel it in my bones; something's coming and it's bad, _real bad_ ," Granny eyed everyone in the room as she spoke.

"Wait, you think the death you sensed is one of us?" Charming asked.

"I don't know who it is; I just thought you should know," Granny said nothing else as she walked away.

"Do you think it could be Zelena?" Snow stood beside Regina as the others murmured amongst one another.

"I don't know; how could she have something so powerful that could cause Granny to be able to sense death?" Regina frowned as Snow's hands moved to her belly.

"Regina, what if what Granny's sensing is…" Regina sighed heavily.

"Snow, don't think like that,"

"What if that's what she's sensing; what if, what if I'm not meant to have this baby because-" Regina placed both hands on Snow's shoulders, forcing her to look her in the eyes.

"It's like you've told me; you're allowed to try and be happy. Emma would want you to," Snow smiled softly before glancing over at Robin.

"So does that mean you're going to give Robin-" Regina shook her head.

"I can't Snow," Snow White sighed heavily.

"Regina-"

"I can't Snow; I want to, but I can't. It's just…Roland, he reminds me so much of Henry and-" Snow White placed a hand on Regina's shoulder and smiled sympathetically.

"Regina, I think more than anything Henry would want you looking after Roland. The boy could use a mom and, you've got that motherly touch," Regina shook her head.

"No Snow; I don't want to because what if I get attached or Roland gets attached and we find Henry and-"

"You think Henry won't love you; that he'll think you've moved on without him. Oh, Regina," Snow smiled softly.

"Regina, Henry would never think that you moved on without him. You have to trust that your relationship with Henry is strong enough," Snow gently squeezed Regina's hands.

"You like Robin, and you obviously care for Roland; don't think we haven't seen the way you already mother him, and how you took care of him when we got him back from Zelena. He needs you and it's obvious that you need him," Snow simply smiled as she walked away, leaving Regina to her own thoughts.

She just hoped that Regina would do the right thing.

It took some time but Zelena was finally able to break the magical barrier she'd come across in Rumplestiltskin's castle. Once she stepped through the barrier she was amazed; she soon found herself standing in the middle of what was obviously a magical lair of sorts. The walls were lined with bookshelves that nearly touched the ceiling. There was a large wooden table in the middle of the room and on it sat potions, many, many potions. In the far right corner, there was a cabinet filled with potions and other ingredients. Zelena smiled with glee; there had to be something here that could help her defeat Regina.

"But first, let's see if we can find a translation for this old spell," Zelena muttered to herself as she made her way towards the bookshelves.

oOoOo

Regina found herself standing in the courtyard that night after dinner. There was a light breeze in the air. The sky was an inky black color with bursts of bright stars scattered across it. The sun was beginning to set earlier and night fell sooner. It was a sign to Regina that the seasons were changing. It was a signal that she would not be spending the holidays with Henry; there would be no waking up on Christmas morning to watch him open presents. He would be doing that with Emma this year, living his life as though he'd always been with her. It was only during the nighttime that she allowed the misery of missing her son to show. She leaned against her apple tree and wept bitterly.

She looked up at the sound of someone approaching; she quickly wiped her tears when she noticed Robin coming towards her.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Robin said softly.

"You didn't,"

"Snow White told me I could find you out here," Robin smiled softly at Regina.

"Snow also should've told you that I didn't want to be bothered,"

"She did; but you know I'm not one for following rules. After all, I am a common thief," Regina tried her best to hide her smirk.

"This is true,"

"The weather's grown quite chilly your majesty, you should come back inside," Regina sighed heavily.

"I thought we agreed a long time ago that you wouldn't call me that,"

"We never agreed to that; I seem to remember you setting up rules about our friendship and expecting me to follow them," Robin smirked as he leaned against her apple tree.

"You never seem to listen to me," Regina took a few steps until she was sitting on a nearby bench.

"This tree doesn't look native to these parts of the forest," Robin now stood up straight, admiring her tree.

"That's because I had it brought here when I married the king. It was the only thing aside from my horse I was allowed to bring,"

"So it's from your home before here?" Regina chuckled bitterly.

"I wouldn't call the place I lived before here home; I wouldn't call anywhere my mother lived home,"

"I've briefly heard talk about your mother…was she really from Wonderland?"

"No; I sent her there through a magical portal to Wonderland the day of my wedding," Robin carefully made his way towards the bench to sit next to Regina.

"That's…quite an interesting tale, about your mother I mean,"

"My mother was…quite an interesting person," Regina stared blankly out into space as she spoke.

"Can I ask you something?" Regina hummed.

"How have you been able to stay here? From I heard, this is where you lived with the king,"

"After I killed him I rearranged the place," Robin nodded in response.

"I imagine it must be even harder being here now that Henry's gone," Regina sucked in a deep breath.

"You're lucky y'know," she said after several moments of silence.

"Pardon?"

"I said you're lucky, you've got Roland," Robin reached over and grabbed Regina's hand.

"I'm more than willing to share him with you; he's quite fond of you y'know," Regina smiled wetly at him.

"Roland is a very special little boy; he reminds me so much of Henry at that age,"

"I'm sorry; I wish there was some way I could fix this for you,"

"If you've got a way to defeat the Wicked Witch, a way to cross realms, and a memory potion…"

"If I could I'd get those things for you; I know how much your son means to you," Robin carefully moved closer to her, wrapping an arm around her.

"You're shivering; we really should go back inside Regina," She shook her head and continued to stare up at the sky.

"I can't go inside, because if I go inside I'll be faced with the reality that I'm all alone," Her voice hitched at the end and she cursed herself.

"You're not alone love; you've got so many people around who care about you. Snow and Charming, Tinkerbell, Roland and I…"

"That may be true, but I can never be truly happy without Henry," Regina bitterly wiped away tears as she allowed herself to rest her head against Robin's shoulders.

They sat like that, his arm wrapped around her while the other held her close, threading his hands through her hair. They remained silent, causing Robin to assume that she'd fallen asleep, except the way her hands would wind with their fingers together. For a while it was peaceful and Regina didn't have to think. It wasn't until she let out a yawn that Robin suggested they move.

"I should let you get some rest; something tells me we're both going to need it for whatever Zelena has planned next," Robin helped her stand, though she paused and stared into his eyes for a moment.

"Regina, what is it?"

"Spend the night with me," Robin's brow scrunched into a frown.

"I know you have Roland and all but…I _really_ don't want to be alone," Robin smiled softly at her and pressed a kiss to her brow.

"I can have Tinkerbell keep an eye on him," He took her hand and led her back inside.

oOoOo

Nothing happened between them that night; they simply spent the night with one another, Robin holding Regina close as she told him stories of Henry and life in Storybrooke until she fell asleep. Her eyes opened early the next morning just as the sun was beginning to rise into the sky. She carefully made her way out of bed and out to her balcony where she stood with her eyes closed, listening to the sounds of the chirping birds. She smiled to herself when she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist a short time later.

"Good Morning," Robin's voice was rough and rumbly with sleep.

"Good Morning," Regina turned in his arms to face him.

The moment was right and everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Gravity seemed to pull their bodies closer, causing Robin to wrap his arms tighter around Regina's waist. She tilted her head up to look into his eyes before winding her arms around his neck, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. They remained close, silent, as they stared into one another's eyes.

"You are absolutely breathtaking," Robin whispered into the space between them.

Regina nodded, biting her bottom lip as Robin's fingers slid into her scalp. And slowly, they kissed; it was gentle, chaste, but quickly grew heated as Robin's hands began to roam along her body. Before long, Robin had backed them into the stone wall on the balcony, Regina pressed between him and the wall as their hands and mouths explored one another. They kissed until they were forced to come up for air. Once they parted, their foreheads remained pressed against one another as they traded more slow, languid kisses.

After several moments of kissing, they remained close, tender touching while they allowed their breathing to return to normal.

It was Robin who first broke the silence, telling her,

"Regina, I don't want you to think that this was just…I truly care about you. I know there's so much left unsaid but-" Regina placed a finger to his lips before pulling him in for another kiss.

"It's still pretty early; breakfast won't be ready for a while…come back to bed and lie down with me?" She stood there in front of him biting her lip. Robin groaned, pulling her in for another kiss before taking her hand and leading her back inside.

oOoOo

Zelena hovered over the ancient spell book and tomes with a triumphant smile on her face. She had finally figured out the spell; she was even able to tweak it a bit. The spell that Zelena had uncovered wasn't any ordinary spell. Somehow, Zelena had managed to stumble upon an ancient Welsh spell that gave her the power to control an undead army. The best part was that there was seemingly no way to defeat them. Standing up straight, Zelena carefully gathered all of the ingredients she would need, using a mortar and pestle to grind up certain ingredients. Once she had all of the necessary ingredients, she placed them into a waiting cauldron. With her hands outstretched, Zelena chanted the ancient spell of old,

 _Now I call on my army of the dead_

 _The cauldron born_

 _Arise my messengers of death_

 _Our time has arrived_

Zelena stood in front of the cauldron as it began to shake, a hissing sound coming from it. Suddenly, the room began to shake as a bright light burst into the room. A few moments later, the cauldron began to boil over, a green smoke falling to the ground as it went out of the room and soon, standing before Zelena was an army of undead. She cackled with delight as she looked at the thousand man army in front of her.

"Go, fulfill your dark purpose; destroy everyone in sight, but the Evil Queen? Bring her back to me," Zelena commanded.

oOoOo

Being with Robin was magical, an unexplainable feeling of sexual satisfaction she hadn't experienced in…well, ever. Of course, as queen, she'd been with many, many men, and the occasional woman, but none could ever fulfill her sexually as Robin did. Though it was brief, ending for both of them quicker than they'd liked, it was still spectacular. Regina rested her head against Robin's bare chest, listening to the light snores that came from him, the slow and steady rise and fall of his chest. They still had a little time before they had to be downstairs for breakfast; she was going to enjoy this moment with him. When she looked up, Robin was staring down at her, leaning in to press a kiss to her lips.

"Good Morning," Robin wrapped his arms around her, pulling her even closer.

"Good Morning," Regina was unable to suppress a yawn as Robin chuckled at her.

"How did you sleep?" Regina weaved a hand through his hair as he smiled at her.

"I have to say that was the best…sleep, I've ever had," Regina chuckled as she leaned in to kiss him once more.

"I quite enjoy this…perhaps once we've defeated Zelena and you've gotten your son back we can-" Robin was unable to finish his sentence as there was a commotion coming from outside Regina's door.

"What the hell is going on?" Regina climbed out of bed, using her magic to quickly dress herself before opening the door.

"Snow, what the hell is going on?" Regina tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Regina, it's Zelena; she's stormed the castle and she's got an army with her," Snow's voice was frantic, though it didn't go unnoticed by Regina that Snow had seen Robin.

"How the hell did she get past my magic?" Regina mused as she quickly followed Snow into the hallway where the other heroes were waiting.

"Gold, Zelena, how did she-"

"Good Morning to you, your majesty," it became increasingly clear to Regina that everyone now knew just what she'd been up to.

"Just tell me how she got past my spells?" she snapped.

"It would appear that Zelena has gotten ahold of an ancient Welch spell that seemingly gives her power over an army of undead," Rumple stated coolly.

"So we're dealing with zombies then?" Charming questioned.

"Yes and no; there is a way to defeat them, someone has to be willing to sacrifice themselves in order for Zelena's new army to be stopped," Everyone looked around the room, though Grumpy and Mother Superior's eyes fell to Regina.

"I already know what you're thinking; and as much as I'd love to give up my life I can't," Regina said.

"Why? Because of your boyfriend?" Grumpy snorted.

"It would only be fair; Zelena is after you and you have caused us all a great deal of misery," Blue stated. For a moment, Regina thought about it and the little moth was right. She had caused them much pain and much misery. It was because of her that they were even back here in the first place.

"No one is sacrificing their lives; Rumplestiltskin there has to be another way," Snow pleaded.

"I'm sorry but there isn't,"

"Well I'm going to make one; I'll simply give Zelena what she's after," Robin looked at Regina as though she'd lost her mind.

"Regina I won't let you do that," Robin moved to stand in front of her.

"What choice do I have Robin? Zelena has some sort of issue with me so, why not give the witch what she wants," Regina shrugged her shoulders.

"Think about Henry; what will you tell him if we find him and you're not there?" Regina stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look at Robin with tears in her eyes.

"Tell him that for once his mother did the right thing," With that, she disappeared into a cloud of purple smoke.

oOoOo

This was far too easy.

Zelena had managed to not only break Regina's protection spell but she'd managed to storm her palace and no one was there to stop her. Zelena stood bored as she moseyed around, wondering how it was that Regina had gotten so lucky. It should've been her casting Rumplestiltskin's curse, it should've been her living on the high horse in Storybrooke. There was no way Glinda's prophecy was going to come true, she would make sure of it.

"Alright Zelena, call off your undead army," She looked up at the sound of Regina's voice.

"Regina, hello; I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, there's only one way to defeat them and I'm not looking for you to sacrifice yourself. I much rather need you alive," Zelena smiled cruelly.

"Exactly why do you need me alive?" Regina wondered.

"Why, that's for me to know and you to find out," Zelena chuckled before commanding her army to attack the others.

Regina did all that she could to try and stop Zelena's undead army, though they proved to be far stronger than any magic she had. The heroes were most certainly outnumbered compared to Zelena's army. It seemed as if the more they tried to kill them, the harder they stronger they seemed to become. Regina turned her head for a split second when she heard Roland cry out.

"Ah, ah, ah…there'll be no heroism from you today your majesty," Zelena used her magic to toss Regina across the room.

Thankfully, Regina didn't have to worry too much about him; Rumplestiltskin managed to free him from the beast's claws.

"Zelena, you're after me; why must the others suffer?" Zelena turned her attention to the queen lying on the ground in front of her.

"They're nothing more than collateral damage; you see, I learned a very valuable lesson once: love is weakness Regina," Regina's eyes widened with surprise; there was only one person she'd known to utter that phrase.

Her mother.

"Who, who told you that? That love is weakness?" Regina felt a rage growing inside of her as she stood to her feet.

Was this all her mother's doing? Surely it couldn't be, Cora was dead! There was just no way mother could've escaped death; Regina had been right there when Snow had killed her. Just as she was about to question Zelena, her attention was drawn to the sound of Snow White's cry.

"Snow!" Regina's heart leapt into her chest; she had promised Snow that nothing would happen to her unborn child.

"I think you're already preoccupied your majesty," Zelena said as she tossed Robin into a waiting crowd of zombies.

Regina was torn between who she should save; there was no way that she could save them both. Luckily, she didn't have to; Ruby had morphed into a wolf and was charging towards the zombies. With Snow out of harm's way, Regina made her way towards Robin, but before she could reach him, Zelena's zombies began to disintegrate. Within seconds, there was nothing left of the army but piles of ash.

"No! What's happening!?" Zelena shrieked before disappearing in a cloud of green smoke, taking with her all traces of her zombie army.

The castle was filled with silence for a few moments before a loud cry was heard.

Snow.

Everyone rushed towards the princess who now held a lifeless Ruby in her arms.

"No," Regina shook her head slowly as Granny rushed towards her granddaughter, pulling the girl into her arms.

Everyone stood back, giving Granny more than enough room to mourn her loss. Charming knelt at Snow's side, looking her over to make sure she and the baby were alright. And they appeared to be, that is until Snow stood up; her gown was stained a deep crimson red before she collapsed to the ground.

 _Chapter 30 to follow…_


	30. Chapter 28

**We're doing a slight time jump; somewhere between three to five months since have passed since the last chapter. We're getting close to the end of the missing year you guys!**

* * *

Magic was a tricky and uncontrollable thing, especially when carrying a child.

Regina had noticed it several days ago when trying a new spell; she was sure she wasn't only one who noticed it either. There were other little things-headaches, backaches, the never-ending nausea, her mood swings, her insatiable need for sex with Robin. She'd thought it to be impossible, her having children. Leopold had tried with her for years and was never able to breed her. She'd just assumed that the gods decided to be merciful and spare her of ever having a child of her own At first, she'd been thankful; if she couldn't have Daniel's children, she didn't want them. After the curse, she didn't feel the need to have a child; she had Henry. Now that she was with Robin, she had become somewhat of a mother to Roland; in her heart, she had two children and for Regina, that was more than enough. Still, she couldn't shake that niggling feeling in her gut that she was carrying Robin's child.

Regina lie in bed that morning doing all she could to calm her queasy stomach. She wasn't sure how far along she was but she knew that it wouldn't be long before her secret was out, seeing as her evil queen outfits were already fitting more snug than usual.

"I can hear you thinking all the way over here love," Robin said with a chuckle.

"I'm sorry I just…I've got a lot on my mind, that's all," Regina said quietly.

"Are you thinking about Henry?" Robin asked as he moved closer to her.

"I'm always thinking about Henry, and Snow and now Ruby. I can't believe that she's gone," Regina sighed.

"Neither can I, but you have to know that no one blames you for Ruby's death," Robin told her.

"They may not say it aloud but, I know that they think this is my fault. Which is why…I'm not so sure we should be celebrating," Regina said; she turned in his arms to face him.

"Regina, this isn't just about us; it's to show Zelena and the people of this kingdom that we're not scared. Throwing this party is a chance for us to celebrate; Zelena is set to be executed in a couple of days and the threat she poses to us and to the kingdom will be over." Robin said as he kissed her brow.

"Are you sure about that Robin? How can you be so sure that nothing else will happen?" Regina asked.

"Something's bothering you, something else you're not telling me about," Robin said.

"I just…I'm scared Robin; everything is moving so fast. We've been here nearly a year and it doesn't make the pain I feel when I think about Henry any less. Plus, I don't think we should celebrate when Ruby is dead and Snow and Charming are-"Regina began.

"Snow and Charming both agreed that we need something to celebrate. What else aren't you telling me, Regina?" Robin said knowingly.

"I…I don't want to celebrate, not until we find Henry," She said quietly.

"Ah. Now that makes sense; I understand if you don't want to throw a party when everyone in our family isn't here to celebrate. Perhaps we could have something to honor Ruby once Zelena's been executed?"

"I like that,"

"Good; and perhaps we could have a wedding in Storybrooke once we get Henry back?" Robin suggested as he ran his hands along her back.

"I don't know if anyone would want to come to the wedding of the Evil Queen and Robin Hood," Regina said as Robin cupped her chin with his fingers.

"You have to stop doing that," Robin sighed.

"Doing what?"

"You have to stop treating yourself like a villain when you're not one," Robin pleaded as Regina pushed him away.

"I am a villain Robin! I'm the reason we're here in the first place! It's because of me that Snow lost Emma in the first place and because Zelena has it out for me, Ruby is dead and so is Snow's child! I'm a villain Robin, and villains don't get happy endings," Regina shouted as she sat up and pulled back the covers.

"You are not a villain Regina. If you were a villain I wouldn't want to marry you, prophesy or not. I wouldn't marry a person, or let them near my son for that matter if I felt within one ounce of myself that my life or Roland's life would be at risk. Yes, you have done, terrible, _terrible things_ , but you're making up for them," Robin said as he pulled Regina into his arms.

"Why are you so good to me?" She mumbled against his chest.

"Because, someone has to show you that you're not as evil as you think," Robin chuckled.

"You're wasting your time thief," Regina muttered as Robin pressed a kiss to her brow.

"You keep saying that, but I'm going to prove that _you milady_ , are no longer a villain," Robin said.

oOoOo

"Regina, are you sure you don't want to have a larger ceremony?" Snow asked later that afternoon as they stood underneath Regina's apple tree. It had become their meeting place after Snow had lost the baby.

"Snow I just…Henry isn't here and, it wouldn't feel right," Regina said.

She felt a twinge of guilt for lying to the girl but she couldn't outright tell Snow that she was pregnant. She'd already taken so much from her; she couldn't bear to announce her pregnancy while Snow was in mourning. She unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself, feeling guilty for the life that now grew inside of her, while the life that grew inside of Snow was taken away from her.

"Regina, I get that you're hurting, but Henry would want you to be happy…just like Emma would want me to be happy," Snow said; Regina didn't miss the way Snow's eyes watered at the mention of Emma.

"Why don't we have a ball instead? It would be a way of honoring Ruby for her bravery and we could celebrate the fact that we've finally beaten Zelena," Regina suggested.

"A celebration? Hm. I think I like that idea, but don't think you're getting off the hook about marrying Robin," Snow said with a smile

"I'm not; we put it off until after we get back to Henry and Emma," Regina said with a smile.

"I can't wait for that day," Snow said as her eyes drifted off to a faraway place.

"You're thinking about the baby again, aren't you?" Regina moved to stand by her side.

"I'm always thinking about him," Snow sighed, unconsciously wrapping her arms around her waist.

"Him?" Regina looked on curiously.

"It was too early to tell but…we knew," Snow whispered as guilt filled Regina's heart. She found herself looking up to the sky praying to the gods that she wasn't pregnant even though she knew she was.

"Snow, I'm _so sorry_ about what happened," Regina carefully reached out to touch the princess's hand.

"Regina, it wasn't your fault, what happened to the baby or Ruby," Regina shook her head as she began to pace.

"Snow this _is_ my fault; if I hadn't tried to kill you all those years ago-"

"Neither one of us would have what we have now; I may have never met Charming, you wouldn't have met Robin, I wouldn't have Emma and you wouldn't have Henry," Snow smiled serenely, it was something that Regina envied about her. Even after all she'd endured, Snow still managed to smile and look on the bright side.

"That may be true, but I should've stopped a long time ago,"

"And if you had, you'd probably be dead and you wouldn't have Henry and Robin," Regina shook her head.

"Sometimes, I don't feel like I deserve them," Snow smiled sadly at her enemy-turned-friend.

"Regina, _you have to stop treating yourself like a villain_ ,"

"Robin told me that this morning," Regina groused, causing Snow to chuckle.

"You should learn to listen to him,"

"Maybe one day I will,"

"I look forward to the day you do," Snow smiled.

oOoOo

The time was quickly approaching for Zelena's execution and the heroes had gathered for one last meeting to discuss what would happen afterward.

"I still think she has a way to get us back to Storybrooke," Charming said as several others agreed.

"Well we to get it out of her before we kill her," Grumpy said.

"Zelena would never talk," Regina said as she shook her head.

"There are ways to make her talk, your majesty," Hook said; he'd been quiet and almost out of sight since they returned to the Enchanted Forest, but he was always present at council meetings.

"Are you suggesting torture?" Snow eyed Hook, who quickly averted his eyes.

"If that's what it takes," Charming said as Snow shook her head.

"Torture won't work with her; Zelena's stubborn," Regina said.

"Greg and Tamara tortured you," Grumpy pointed out.

"And got no information whatsoever,"

"You truly think she'd be willing to die in order to-"

"None of you, with the exception of Hook and Rumple, at this table have been a villain. You don't know how a villain's mind works," Regina eyed everyone at the table slowly.

"Since you seem to be such an expert at how a villain's mind works, enlighten us," Blue said with a smirk. Regina was about to snap at her but out of nowhere was hit with a sharp pain behind her eyes. She could hear everyone in the room talking but her vision became blurry.

"Regina?" She could hear Snow's concerned voice but couldn't make out her image," She closed her eyes in order to try and calm herself, but was hit with a wave of nausea.

She could feel herself begin to sway side to side but was unable to stop her knees from buckling.

"Regina!" Robin caught her in his arms just before she hit the ground.

"Regina?" Robin cradled her in his arms, as her eyes fluttered closed.

"Get her upstairs to bed," Granny instructed quietly.

oOoOo

By the time Regina came to, she felt a cool cloth going across her forehead. She groaned slowly before opening her eyes.

"You've got to take better care of yourself girl," Granny's soft but rough voice said.

"I'm-"

"You're not fine; your magic has been off, you've thrown up every day for the last four days, you're moodier than usual…" The look in Granny's eyes told Regina everything she needed to know.

"So you know then?"

"I've known since the moment it happened," Regina's brow scrunched in confusion.

"It's the wolf thing; I sensed it with Snow.

"But I made sure to avoid-"

"I knew before you did," Granny gave her a small lopsided smile as Regina turned her head.

"You're not happy?"

"I…I don't deserve this, especially with everything that's happened in the last few months,"

"You mean Ruby dying and Snow losing her baby," Regina nodded.

"Nobody blames you for that Regina; Ruby knew what she was doing when she defended Snow. In fact…I knew Ruby was the one," Regina's eyes widened with surprise.

"You mean the whole time you knew that-"

"No, but when Rumplestiltskin said that the only way to defeat Zelena was for someone to sacrifice themselves…I saw it in Ruby's eyes," Granny paused, giving herself a moment to steal her emotions.

"But Snow's baby-"

"I'd had my suspicions about the child before all of that," Regina shook her head and sighed.

"Snow said that you might've been sensing that the baby would-"

"Snow carried a lot of internal stress when she was pregnant; if it didn't happen then it would've happened eventually," Tears welled up in Regina's eyes as she let out shuddering breath.

"This isn't fair," Granny gently squeezed Regina's hand.

"I know it's not, but-"

"I don't deserve this, especially when Henry's-" Granny held up a hand to stop her, already knowing where Regina was going.

"We may not have always had the best relationship before the curse, but remember I know you from Storybrooke and I know what kind of mother you were to Henry. I know that you love that boy more than anything. And if I know anything about Henry I know that he'd be excited," Granny reached over and wiped away a stray tear from Regina's cheek.

"But, Robin-"

"Tell him; if he's smart he probably already suspects it," Granny looked at Regina and smiled.

"You need to take better care of yourself girl, it's not just you to think about anymore," With that Granny stood and headed toward the door.

"I'll let Robin come in first,"

oOo

Robin paced back and forth outside of Regina's chambers after Granny shooed him out of the room.

"Robin, I'm sure Regina's fine," Snow said as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Regina's fine; just a bit worn down from not taking care of herself…she wants to see you first and then you Snow," There was an unreadable look on Granny's face as she passed him and made her way down the hall.

Robin took a deep breath before stepping into Regina's bedroom. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found her standing out on her balcony, her back to him.

"Regina?" Robin's voice was tentative as he made his way towards her.

She didn't speak, only beckoned him to stand next to her, refusing his hug but allowing him to hold her hand.

"Regina-"

"Robin, I'm pregnant," There was a deafening silence that fell between them for several moments before Regina gained the courage to speak again.

"I, I know that this is…unexpected but-"

"How? I mean, I thought…" Robin had immediately turned to face her, eyes full of shock and surprise.

"I don't know; I've always been under the impression that I couldn't have children. The king, he tried but-" Robin silenced her with a kiss.

"Regina…we're going to have a baby?" Robin's eyes shined with unshed tears of happiness, filling her heart with some relief.

"Yeah, we are," Though she smiled, Robin saw that the smile didn't meet her eyes.

"Regina…what's wrong?" Robin's brow furrowed as she sighed heavily, resting her brow on his shoulder.

"I'm worried about Snow," Robin ahh'd; finally he understood.

"You don't want to upset her by being pregnant when she's just lost her own baby,"

"Robin, how will this look to everyone?"

"The same way it looked when Snow and Charming were pregnant," Regina shook her head.

"No Robin; we're not like Snow and Charming,"

"Are we not two people in love?"

" _Robin_ …"

"Are we not in love with one another?" Robin challenged.

"Well, yes, but-"

"There are no butts; we didn't purposefully get pregnant just to hurt them. Regina, this child isn't something to be ashamed of. If anything, this child is a miracle based on what you say about being unable to get pregnant before this," Robin's hand carefully slid down to her middle.

"I don't know why you're so good to me," Regina whispered against Robin's lips.

"Because I love you and someone has to try and keep you sane," Regina lightly smacked him on the shoulder as he chuckled.

" _You_ **have** _to tell Snow_ ," Regina's laughter soon turned into a sigh.

"I know,"

"She's worried about you, so are the others,"

"I'm not ready to make some grand announcement just yet; maybe once we've gotten rid of Zelena," Robin hummed in agreement before pressing a kiss to her brow.

"I truly am happy about our baby, Regina. A bit surprised, but happy nonetheless," Robin pressed a kiss to Regina's brow before releasing her.

They both agreed to keep things quiet about the baby, at least until after Zelena's execution and longer if need be. Robin and Regina parted with a kiss before Regina requested to meet Snow at their designated meeting spot underneath her apple tree in the courtyard.

oOoOo

Snow thought it was odd that Regina would want to meet her underneath the apple tree. She'd assumed that after her little fainting spell earlier in the day that Regina would be resting. Then again, this was her stepmother afterall; the woman barely rested while they were in Neverland and she never seemed to rest before the curse, with all of the time she spent on the hunt for Snow's head on a platter. Snow was relieved to see that Regina was at least sitting down on the cobblestone bench near the apple tree.

"You wanted to see me, Regina?" Snow tilted her head curiously to look down at her stepmother who motioned for her to have a seat next to her.

"First off, I'm fine," Snow gave Regina a look but allowed her to continue.

"I already know what you're thinking; 'you can't be fine if you fainted' but I assure you I am," Regina took a pause and surprised Snow by reaching out to grab her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Snow what I'm about to tell you is…difficult for me because I've got so many feelings about this, this thing I need to tell you. But first I need you to promise me that what I'm about to tell you stays between us," By this time Regina had shifted, turned so that she was facing Snow, looking her directly in the eyes.

"Regina, we're past that now; I'm not some 10-year-old girl who can't keep a secret," Snow smiled slightly but frowned when she saw the fear and apprehension in Regina's eyes.

"Regina, I promise I won't-"

"I'm pregnant, Snow…I've had my suspicions for a while now but…today when I fainted I knew," Regina bit her lip as tears welled up in her eyes. She could only hope that Snow wouldn't hate her for sharing this news.

Still, Snow remained silent, an unreadable expression on her face; Regina took the pause a sign to continue.

"Snow, I never expected to get pregnant; in fact, I didn't think I could. Well, I knew I could but I didn't think…I never thought it would stick. In fact, I didn't tell this to Robin but, I'm scared I might lose this baby as well. Snow I, I didn't mean for this to happen, especially with everything that's happened with Ruby and, and with you losing your baby and…Snow, _Snow_ **please say something** ," Regina's heart beat rapidly in her chest, so fast that she was sure she'd either pass out or throw up.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, Snow spoke,

"I…I'm truly happy for you, Regina," Snow smiled, but Regina immediately saw that the smile didn't quite reach her eyes and her voice seemed a bit, hollow, detached even.

"Snow, please understand that this-"

"No child is ever planned, Regina, and I'm not mad at you but, you _have_ to understand that this is hard for me. I only just lost my own child a few months ago and we've been without Emma for almost a year now and-" Snow took a deep breath, wiping away a few stray tears.

"Snow, if I could take it back, trade places with you I-" Snow shook her head.

"Regina stop; don't feel sorry because you got pregnant. No one should ever feel bad about such a beautiful thing. I really am happy for you Regina but, it's going to be difficult I won't lie. I also promise to keep your secret," Snow gently squeezed Regina's hand before she stood.

"Snow…" Snow White turned around and quickly embraced her stepmother.

"You made me a promise when I was pregnant, that you would do everything you could to protect my baby. Now, I'm making that same promise to you; Regina I will do _everything that I can_ to make sure your baby is safe," Regina was unable to control her tears at this point and simply nodded.

"Thank you," Snow smiled back at her.

"Now, you need to get some rest; have Robin and Roland lie with you. There's no threat happening; Zelena's scheduled to be executed tomorrow at midnight. I'll have granny bring up your lunch and dinner…take care of yourself, Regina, she's going to need you,"

" _She_?" Snow nodded.

"I've already got my money on a little girl; a feisty miniature version of yourself," Snow grinned as Regina envisioned the same thing, though she only hoped that her baby would have its father's piercing blue eyes.

oOo

Regina felt quite relaxed the next day, though Robin, Snow, and Granny insisted that she take it easy after her scare the day before. While she did was she was told, she made sure that she was kept up to date about Zelena's scheduled execution later on that evening. Robin and the rest of the council denied her suggestion that she go and visit Zelena to try and get her to tell them what her ultimate plan was. The plan was for the heroes to meet exactly one hour before Zelena's scheduled execution to discuss what would be done with her remains as well as a plan to try and get them back to Storybrooke.

What they weren't counting on, was for one of the dwarves to burst into the dining hall twenty minutes before Zelena's execution and inform them that she had somehow managed to escape.

"How the hell is that even possible?" Regina slammed her fist against the table, causing everyone to stare at her.

"It would seem that our dear green-skinned friend has had some assistance from someone on the inside," Rumplestiltskin said.

" _How can that be_? No one at this table would dare to-"

"I never said at this table; I simply said someone on the inside has managed to help Zelena escape," Rumple sat back in his chair with a cool expression on his face.

"Gee, I wonder who could've had magic that powerful that they could've helped Zelena escape?" Grumpy muttered, though his eyes were clearly trained on Rumple and Regina.

"If you think for one second that I'd let that toad out of her cage, you're even dumber than you look," Regina snapped.

"If it wasn't either of you…" Blue began though Regina shook her head.

"You seem to forget that Rumple and I aren't the only ones in the castle with magic or access to magic. We may be the only ones known for our dark magic, but there are several hundred possible suspects," Regina said referring to the many who had taken refuge in the castle after they arrived and after Zelena's attack of the undead army.

"That would raise the question of how was someone able to get that close to the dungeons?" Charming asked.

There was a silent murmuring among the small group of heroes and villains that gathered that night. Regina stood and made her way over to a nearby window; Snow and Robin quickly followed.

"Regina?" Snow questioned.

"Zelena's goal is to destroy me, right?" Snow and Robin nodded.

"Well, the stakes have gone up tremendously now that I'm…y'know, pregnant and all," Regina's voice was barely above a whisper when mentioning her pregnancy.

Robin reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a firm squeeze as he looked into her eyes.

"Regina, I promise you nothing bad will happen to our child, on my life I promise you that," Regina's eyes locked with Snow's as a mutual understanding passed between them. Snow had thought the same thing about her unborn child at first. Also, Regina seemed to finally understand how Snow and Charming must've felt when she was chasing after them. Snow shook her head, already knowing where Regina's mind went. She simply took her hand and squeezed it, conveying to Regina that together they would defeat Zelena and get back home to their children.

 _Chapter 31 to follow…_


	31. Chapter 29

**Happy New Year ladies and gents!**

 **I hope your 2018 is off to an amazing start! Things are about to get very interesting in this chapter. Be prepared to meet two characters who are currently part of the Season 7 cast, as well as the return of a few canon favorites…**

* * *

"Someone among us is a traitor," Rumplestiltskin said shortly after it was announced that Zelena had managed to escape her cell just minutes before her scheduled execution.

"That's impossible; no one in this room has been anywhere near Zelena," Snow shook her head.

"Someone had to help her escape; that magical cuff I placed on her arm disabled the magic in her body and I was the only person who could've removed it," Regina said as Grumpy scoffed.

"Something you wanna say munchkin?" Regina raised an eyebrow as if to dare him to challenge her.

"Your magic's been off for weeks; what's to say that your little charm bracelet wasn't defective?"

The room went entirely silent for a moment as everyone stared at Regina as if questioning whether or not Grumpy's theory could actually be possible.

"That's impossible; I put that cuff on her arm long before I found out I was…" She paused, noticing her almost slip of the tongue. She wasn't quite ready to start announcing to the entire kingdom that she was having a baby, not when Ruby was dead and not when Snow and Charming were still mourning the loss of their baby.

"Long before you found out you were what?" Blue questioned.

"Nothing; my magic's been off for a while because in case you all haven't noticed, things have been pretty stressful around here with…what happened to Ruby and…I've been working like hell to figure out how to get back to my son. Stress like that can take a lot out of you," Regina replied evenly.

"So if it's not her magic then what is it?" Grumpy muttered.

"It's exactly like Rumplestiltskin said; someone helped Zelena escape," Robin said.

"Since when did Robin Hood get to speak in a heroes meeting?" Grumpy questioned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Regina snapped.

"It means that just because he's screwing you doesn't mean he-" Grumpy didn't get a chance to finish his sentence; within seconds he was suspended in mid-air as Regina placed him in a magical chokehold.

"Regina, stop!" Snow Shouted; it wasn't until Robin gently placed a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to look at him that she unceremoniously dropped the dwarf to the ground.

"Crazy bitch!" Grumpy croaked.

"Watch it! You can say all you want about me, but Regina is off limits!" Robin snarled as Regina shook her head.

"It's okay Robin, I'm a big girl I can take care of myself," Regina said as she took a deep breath before marching towards Grumpy.

"Let me tell you something you miserable little bastard; the last time I checked, the only reason _you're here_ is because of Snow. You're not a hero; you're nothing more than a dwarf that hatched out of an egg. This is still _my_ castle and I can throw you out at _any time_. What I do with Robin behind closed doors is none of your _damn_ business, and if Robin wants to say something in a meeting he has the right to. No one's stopped you from being a pain in my ass for the last year," After she was done speaking she stood up and marched out of the dining hall, Robin and Snow quickly following behind her.

oOo

"Was that _really_ necessary?" Snow quietly scolded once she caught up with Regina, who stopped to catch her breath on a nearby wall.

"Regina?" Immediately Robin was at her side, his hand coasting along her back.

"I'm fine; that little display of magic in there left me a little…winded, that's all,"

"All the more reason for you to lay off the magic for a while, at least until you figure out how this bab-" Regina held up a hand to silence Snow.

"Please don't say the 'b' word, not right now," Regina closed her eyes and leaned into Robin's touch.

"Snow's got a point love," Robin murmured, causing Regina to whip around and glare at him.

" _No_ , **she doesn't** ," Robin shook his head, completely ignoring the look on Regina's face.

"You have to be careful; there's someone else to think about now," Robin's voice was soft as his hand made its way to Regina's still flat stomach.

"Fine; next time I won't try and kill him…"

"Thank you," Snow sighed.

"I'll just settle for turning him into a fly and conjuring up a frog to eat him," Snow and Robin rolled their eyes and sighed.

The Winter Castle, Enchanted Forest-Several Months Earlier

 _Zelena was furious, absolutely furious as she watched her army of undead zombies turn into piles of ash before blowing away._

" _No! This is impossible! The spell was virtually indestructible!" Zelena shouted._

" _You forgot one little detail; almost every curse can be broken, and this one was broken with the second greatest thing next to true love's kiss: sacrifice," Rumplestiltskin taunted as Zelena realized what the wolf girl had done. She'd risked her life to save Snow White._

" _Stupid girl!" She muttered before she was frozen in place by Rumplestiltskin._

" _I think it's high time you and I had a little…chat," Rumple said, using his Dark One blade to run along the side of Zelena's cheek._

" _Oh no ya don't," Regina said as she used her magic to freeze his hand in place._

" _And what do you suppose we do with her, dearie?" Rumple turned to glare at her._

" _Lock her away,"_

" **With** **all that she's tried to do to you? Forcing you to give up your boy,** **my grandson** **need I remind you**. _She forced Bae on some half-cocked journey to Camelot and I may never see him again. She has to pay; now_ , **move aside** ," _Rumple said through gritted teeth._

" _I can't let you kill her Gold; if you kill her, we lose all chance of ever getting back to Henry and Emma, and you may never see Neal again," Regina reasoned._

" _I can find my way back to Bae;_ **I did it before didn't I** _?"_

" _But it also took you hundreds of years to do it; I don't have hundreds of years. Henry's not in Neverland, he's in the Land Without Magic where he'll go on as if I didn't exist and then he'll grow old and die and I will_ **never** _see him again. That's not a risk I'm willing to take, so I'm sorry, but she lives," There were tears in Regina's eyes as she spoke; surprisingly, Rumple obliged._

" _Henry is my grandson, so I suppose that means I owe you a favor. After all, you did save my life not just in Neverland and you did send the heroes to save me from Zelena…" Rumple muttered._

" _I couldn't very well be the only one forced to sit through another one of Snow's hope speeches now could I?" Regina joked, causing Rumple to smirk at her._

" _No, I suppose not,"_

oOoOo

 _The first thing Regina did after her talk with Rumple, was conjure her mother's magical cuff, the same one that Greg and Tamara had used on her. However, she was smart enough to enchant it with an ancient spell that could only be broken by her. Once she was sure Zelena's magic was no longer a problem, she removed Rumple's spell._

" _You made a mistake unfreezing me," Zelena grinned with glee as she made a move to blast Regina across the room. She frowned when it didn't work and tried again; Regina chuckled slowly._

" _Looks like somebody doesn't have their magic anymore," Zelena looked down at her arm, only to find it covered with a hideous Black bracelet._

" _What've you done!?" Zelena shouted._

" _That little bracelet has locked your magic. You see, the minute I placed that cuff on your arm, there were toxins that immediately went into your bloodstream placing a block on your magic, and I'm the_ **only one** _who has the ability to take it off. "_

" _You wanna put that theory to the test?" While she was powerless she was still quick, able to brandish a dead soldier's sword as she tried chopping off her wrist. To her surprise, she was met with a searing pain that shot through her arm and the rest of her body._

" _What did you do to me!?" Regina grinned as she moved closer to Zelena._

" _I told you; there's no way that cuff is coming off unless_ **I** _say so. And the only way that cuff comes off is when I have your head on a silver platter," Zelena's eyes widened slightly._

" _That's right, instead of you killing me, I'm going to make sure you die a slow and painful death," Zelena pretended to be unphased as she scoffed._

" _You should've let Rumple kill me when he had the chance,"_

" _Believe me if she would've let me, I would've," Rumple muttered as Zelena chuckled._

" _Since when did the Dark One start taking orders from The Evil Queen?"_

" _It seems as if our interests are now aligned; I told you before to stay away from my family and you didn't listen. Not only did you send my grandson into the Land Without Magic, but you've gone and sent Bae all the way to Camelot,"_

" _Oops," Zelena smirked; she was hoping that Rumple would use his magic on her. She knew that his magic was powerful, perhaps powerful enough to remove the enchantment Regina had placed on that stupid cuff._

 _Surprisingly, Rumple didn't use his magic on her. Instead, he walked away._

" _How the hell did you manage to-"_

" _It's like he said; our interests are now aligned. Besides, Rumple and I have history that goes way beyond him being my teacher," Regina chuckled as Zelena jutted out her chin in defiance._

" _Whatever it is that you want from me, I'm not willing to give it to you,"_

" _Not even in exchange for your freedom?" Zelena appeared to be interested only for a brief moment._

" _In exchange for what, exactly?"_

" _Tell us how to get back to Henry," Zelena chuckled._

" _What fun would that be? You'd have your little thief and your son while I'd have what?"_

" _You'd be alive,"_

" _I'm going to be alive either way it goes,"_

" _I'd like to see you keep that up with no magic,"_

" _I'm going to find a way out of this magical cuff, and when I do-"_

" _I'll be waiting right there to destroy you," Regina snarled._

" _You think you're so smart, don't you? You won't get away with this Regina, I promise you that,"_

" _Oh, but I already have; you see, you're going to be locked away until you tell us how to get back to Henry and Neal,"_

" _And if I don't?" Zelena lifted her chin in defiance._

" _Well, then Glinda's prophesy will come true after all. Except I won't just defeat you,_ **I will end you** _. I'm going to personally rip your heart out and watch it turn to ash. Now, unless you have information about how to get back to my son, have fun in your new dungeon," With that, Zelena was carried to the dungeon where she was to remain until her execution._

Enchanted Forest, Present

"She warned me that she'd find a way to escape," Regina murmured the next day as she and the others sat in the throne room. The first round of questioning the new residents of the castle had begun and seemed to be never-ending.

"Don't worry Regina, we'll figure out who's behind this," Snow said quietly.

" _Will we_? We don't know even know how many people have come into the castle since the villages were destroyed," Regina muttered.

"We'll fix this love, I promise," Robin reached over and gave Regina's hand a squeeze of reassurance.

"Who's next?" Charming asked.

"Oh, well, this is surprising; though I'm sure he'd _never_ help Zelena," Snow looked down at her list with surprise and curiosity.

"You know the next person we're questioning?" Regina asked.

"Yeah, so do you. In fact, we all do… _Jefferson_ ,"

" _Jefferson_? He's been staying in the castle?" Regina's brow furrowed.

"This place is pretty huge; makes it easy to go undetected…hello to you too… _your majesty_ ," Jefferson casually strolled into the throne room, giving Regina a head nod of acknowledgment.

"How long have you been staying here Jefferson?" Charming began.

"Since Grace and I were run out of our village,"

"Right; I apologize about Zelena," Regina said as Jefferson looked at her strangely.

"Zelena? What does she have to do with this?"

"You and Grace were forced to leave your home because of Zelena's attacks…right?" Snow asked.

"No," Jefferson chuckled as everyone looked at one another completely confused.

"If Zelena's undead army didn't force you out of your home then who-"

"Unless she knows how to control Maleficent then-"

" _Maleficent_? I thought she was-" Snow began as Regina let out a groan of annoyance.

"Regina…" Snow turned to look at her stepmother.

"I forgot about Mal," Regina muttered as Robin looked at her in confusion.

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I only know of one Maleficent…"

"If you're talking about the dragon, then that's the one," Regina turned to face Jefferson.

"And you're certain it was Mal?"

"Pretty sure she's the only dragon who enjoys tormenting villagers for fun," Regina sighed heavily.

"I thought the dragon was dead?" Grumpy muttered.

"No; she'd been locked under the library in dragon form since I cast the curse. Once I recast it, everyone was sent back to where they came from…"

"So when the curse was reversed…Regina, you don't think Maleficent-" Snow began.

"Jefferson, has anyone else spotted Maleficent?" Jefferson simply smirked.

"It's kinda hard for villagers to easily forget seeing a 75-foot dragon charring their homes to a crisp and eating their livestock,"

"Regina, what do we do?" Snow asked as Regina sighed.

"I have to go see her,"

oOoOo

This was the last thing Regina wanted to be doing, but she wouldn't rest until she could rule out Maleficent as being an accomplice in aiding Zelena's escape. Of course, Robin and Snow were dead against her traveling to Maleficent's lair, but they also knew she wasn't taking no for an answer. A compromise was made; Robin, Hook, Charming, and _Mulan_ of all people, accompanied Regina to the forbidden fortress. Having the other three accompany her meant sharing her secret with them. Charming was the one she worried most about; he surprised her by being somewhat supportive. Hook and Mulan seemed the least bothered by news of her impending pregnancy. The journey proved to be quite interesting, seeing as Mulan appointed herself as leader early on. The girl's leadership skills and headstrong personality proved to be quite a conversation starter, at least for Regina.

"You lead an entire army to battle and won?" Mulan nodded, keeping her eyes focused on the road ahead of her.

"I'm pretty sure there were naysayers among you,"

"When I started, I was a pretty terrible soldier; but after a while, I gained most people's respect,"

"Most?" Hook asked.

"Need I remind you that I pretended to be a man in order to take my father's place in the army?"

"Aye, I could see how that could bring about some skepticism," Hook said.

"Mulan's fierceness is exactly why I asked her to join to Merry Men…sadly she turned me down," Robin said.

"It's a good thing I did; most of your men are now flying monkeys," Mulan pointed out just as they reached Maleficent's lair.

"Well, this is where I come in," Regina carefully climbed off of her horse and prepared to go inside.

"Regina, you can't-" She knew where Robin was going with this and rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't gonna try and go it alone," Robin made a face.

"I wasn't I swear! I was going to take you and Charming with me and have Mulan and Hook stand guard," Mulan and Hook exchanged surprised looks.

"You want the lass and me to-"

"One of you has sailed the seven seas and can brandish a sword pretty well while the other saved an entire country. I'd say that's a great pairing," Mulan and Hook glance at one another and shrug.

"Now, if you're all done squabbling over me like I'm some sort of invalid…" Regina raised an eyebrow at the four of them before making her way into Maleficent's lair.

Robin and Charming looked at one another and shrugged before following after her.

oOoOo

Maleficent's lair was much colder than Regina remembered it to be. Though, it shouldn't have been surprising that things were different; she hadn't been to the Forbidden Fortress since just before she cast her curse.

"Mal?" Regina's voice carried an echo as she called out to her old friend.

"Keep your eyes alert; she could come from anywhere," Robin muttered.

"You say this as though you've faced her," Charming glanced over at him.

"I have; in fact, I've battled both Maleficent _and_ Rumplestiltskin," Charming's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"You went up against two of the most powerful practitioners of magic and lived to tell the tale?"

"Haven't you gone up against Maleficent?"

"Will you two shut the hell up; this isn't some pissing contest," Regina hissed just before she came to a stop.

"Regina, what's-"

"Shh; she's right there," Regina's head motioned towards the far right corner.

"Regina, there's no one-" Robin never finished his sentence; they all ducked when a stream of fire came flying towards them.

"How did you know she was-"

"I've known Mal almost as long as I've known Rumple," Regina leaned forward for a moment to catch her breath.

"Regina," Robin's hand was immediately on her back though she quickly swatted it away.

"I'm fine; the magic in this room is a bit stifling, that's all," After a few moments Regina stood.

She turned to Robin and Charming who were more than ready to do what was necessary to protect her and the baby.

"Stay here; this isn't your fight," Robin opened his mouth to protest but Regina stopped him.

"I'll be fine; I have a plan and I know what I need to do," She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vile. Suddenly, Robin understood her plan.

"You're going to turn her human," Regina nodded.

"It's better to have Mal on our side in human form than to have an angry dragon on the loose trying to kill everyone in sight."

"How do you know she won't kill you?" Charming asked; Regina smirked.

"She knows I'm pregnant," Robin and Charming gave each other a confused look.

"I speak dragon," Regina shrugged her shoulders.

"But Maleficent-"

"We've been talking the whole time," Robin frowned.

"You've been using magic," Regina sighed heavily before reaching out to cup his cheek.

"She won't hurt me… _us_ ; besides, I'm doing this for her,"

" _Her_?"

"Yes, her," Regina's hand rested on her stomach as Robin shook his head.

"You're doing this for her," Regina nodded once more, though Robin knew the other part of that sentence that Regina dare not utter.

"And Henry," She gave him a look.

"I'm doing this for all of my children; Roland too," Something about the way she included Roland as her child seemed to melt Robin's heart. He leaned forward and kissed her fiercely before resting his forehead against hers.

"Regina, be careful,"

"I will," She whispered before pulling back. Regina stood tall, straightening her shoulders before she marched to the middle of the room and waited.

oOo

After a few moments, Maleficent appeared in front of her; both Robin and Charming were amazed at the way Regina stood calmly in front of the dragon. She spoke no words, but Maleficent seemed to understand what she was saying. Within moments, Regina was throwing the potion at her, causing Maleficent to let out a loud shriek. A cloud of dusky purple magic swarmed around the creature and soon after the smoke cleared, Maleficent appeared in front of Regina in human form. For a moment, neither of them said a word…that is until Maleficent sent Regina flying across the room. Robin and Charming immediately drew their swords, though Maleficent froze them in place. She sauntered across the room to where Regina had landed; actually, she went through a wall. Maleficent towered over her old friend and shook her head before reaching down to help Regina to her feet.

"Next time, you'll learn to listen to me when I tell you not to cast a curse," Regina rolled her eyes before shoving past her friend. With a wave of her hand, Robin and Charming were unfrozen. Robin immediately pulled her into his arms, looking her over to make sure she and the baby were alright.

"You didn't tell me you'd started cavorting with thieves and no good princes," Maleficent's voice held a casual tone to it as she barely gave Robin and Charming a sparing glance.

"Charming is here because Snow insisted that he come," Regina replied evenly.

" _And the thief_?" Maleficent's eyebrow rose in expectation; Regina remained silent.

"So _he's the one who knocked you up_ ; at least _somebody_ was able to do what Leopold couldn't…how _is_ Snow by the way?" Maleficent's eyes were trained on Charming, who looked more than ready to fight.

"Enough Mal; can you help us or not?"

"No," Regina shook her head and sighed heavily.

"So you don't know her?"

"She came here once," Regina looked at Maleficent expectantly.

" _And_?"

" _And_ I almost had a midday snack…she had quite the army with her,"

"The army of the undead," Robin informed her.

"The ancient Welsh curse? How the hell did she get her hands on that? The only person who has that spell is-"

"Zelena's been squatting at Rumple's castle," Regina explained as Maleficent moved closer to her. She shook her head as Robin's arm wrapped tighter around Regina's waist.

"Don't worry thief; I have no interest in harming your little girlfriend or your daughter," Robin looked to Regina.

"Dragon's can sense pregnancy, and apparently the sex of the baby" Regina explained.

"Is that why you said-"

"Surprise; we're having a girl," Maleficent cleared her throat to bring their attention to a more pressing matter.

"Exactly _how did we all get back here_? Because the last thing I remember was a long slumber down below that library…"

"I brought us all back here; apparently, Glinda the Good Witch gave greenie a prophecy that she'd be defeated by a sort of powerful light magic…which apparently I possess," Regina laughed, but stopped when she noticed that Maleficent wasn't laughing with her.

"That's ridiculous, _right_? It's almost as ridiculous as Rumple thinking that all dark magic can be destroyed by combining the blade of The Dark One and the Blade of Excalibur…that's just, that's foolishness, isn't it Mal?" Maleficent said nothing; she simply stared her friend in the eyes.

"How did you two meet exactly?" Maleficent's eyes were trained on Robin.

"We met when my son got trapped in Neverland with her son Henry," Mal turned to face Regina.

"Your son?"

"It's a long story but yes, I had a son,"

"Had?"

"When I reversed the curse I had to say goodbye to the thing I loved most," Mal and Regina exchanged a look of sympathy and understanding.

"You had a son…"

"Yes,"

"A son you named after the father you killed to cast your curse?"

"Mal! Could you please…focus," Regina took a deep breath, suddenly feeling very uneasy about where this conversation was going.

"Right; you two met in Neverland?" Robin nodded.

"And you two just happened to fall in love to the point where you were able to get her pregnant?" Robin and Regina shared a look.

"Is there's something you're not telling me, Regina?"

"Do you remember when I told you about the Man With the Lion Tattoo?" Maleficent's eyes widened as she quickly turned to Robin.

"The tattoo, let me see it," Robin reluctantly rolled up his sleeve and revealed his tattoo to Maleficent.

"The power of soulmates…" Maleficent murmured before taking a step back and shaking her head.

"Mal, Mal what's wrong?"

"Oh my God…"

"Mal, you're scaring me; what's going on?"

"I didn't think it was possible…" Maleficent muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Regina frowned.

"This child you carry isn't just an ordinary child Regina; this child is…." Maleficent shook her head slowly.

"This child is what?" Robin asked; he could feel the fear radiating off of Regina.

"Exactly what do you know about this…Zelena person? Where is she from? Who are her people?"

"We don't know much about her except that she's from Oz but somehow ended up here in the Enchanted Forest," Charming answered.

"Does Rumple know you're…" Regina shook her head.

"No, but I'm sure he's got his suspicions," Mal nodded.

"And you say you think someone in the castle helped her escape?"

"We've interviewed everyone in the castle and came up with nothing," Charming sighed as Maleficent began to pace. It wasn't a rushed or worried cadence; it was more…casual, calculated. As if she were thinking about something. Finally, after a few moments, she looked up at Regina.

"Do you think it's possible that Zelena could know you're pregnant?" Regina's eyes widened as she shook her head.

"That's…not possible; the only people who know about the baby are these two, Snow-"

"You told that snowflake about your child?" Maleficent seemed angry as Regina took a deep breath.

"Mal, I know Snow wouldn't tell Zelena about the baby,"

" _Didn't she tell Cora about your stable boy_? And we _both_ know what happened to him because of her," Charming glanced over at Regina, more than ready to fight.

"Stand down mate," Robin's voice was gentle as he placed a hand out in front of Charming to stop him from doing something stupid, and to stop him from being Maleficent's lunch.

"Mal, don't do this; Snow isn't responsible for any of this,"

"You spent years trying to kill her for what she took from you,"

"I know but Mal things are different…if you don't trust Snow White then trust me," Maleficent was silent for a few moments before sighing, a sign that she was letting it go.

"Fine; but you need to be _very_ careful of the people around you Regina,"

"Is there something you're not telling me Mal?" Maleficent's face softened as she reached out to affectionately stroke Regina's cheek. Something about the way she interacted with Regina was something that seemed all too familiar for it to be friendly. The familiarity of it caused Robin to become curious about their relationship.

"I have…suspicions about a few things; but I'm not going to upset you until I'm certain. Now, Rumplestiltskin's little bookworm of a girlfriend, where is she?"

"Belle; she's back at my castle with everyone else,"

"I need to speak with her…and Rumple; because something tells me he knows more about this entire situation than he's letting on,"

Undisclosed Location, Enchanted Forest

She didn't like this.

When they enlisted their help to save her from being executed, she didn't expect that she would be subject to their every whim. They'd helped her escape just moments before the guards showed up to lead her to whatever fate Regina had in store for her. What she wasn't expecting was to be knocked out, bound and gagged. By the time she came to she knew she was somewhere different; the air was different. The ground and the sounds around her gave it away.

"Oh look, she's stirring," a familiar voice said from somewhere in the distance.

"Untie her; she'll have questions I'm sure," Another female voice said.

Zelena could hear the sounds of feet coming toward her, roughly pulling her up. The bag that covered her head was taken off; her hands and feet were unbound. She was able to glance around at her surroundings.

"Don't try and figure out where you are. All you need to know is that you've been spared from being executed," Zelena looked up at the sound of the voice speaking to her.

"You two morons had better have a way to defeat Regina," Zelena spat. The woman in front of her simply chuckled.

"Oh Zelena; this plan is so much bigger than what Glinda told you,"

"Ah, ah, ah, Drizella; Zelena's not quite ready to know what's in store for her…" Zelena looked at the two women and shook her head, almost in disgust.

"Gothel, so nice to see you again," Zelena's voice carried a sickly sweet tone but her face was fixed in an annoyed scowl. Gothel however, seemed unphased as she smiled back at her.

"You would be careful not to bite the hand that feeds you dear; because the information I'm about to give you changes everything,"

 _Chapter 32 to follow…_

* * *

 ***Insert evil laugh here* The steaks are about to get higher ladies and gents…**


	32. Chapter 30

**Please note that in this chapter, certain canon events between seasons two and three have been altered. Also, there is mention of Heteropaternal Superfetation and Heteropaternal Superfecundation, a rare condition in which a woman may become pregnant with twins by either different fathers or by releasing a second egg during pregnancy that is later fertilized, resulting in a simultaneous pregnancy. It's totally a thing; Grey's Anatomy had an episode about this.**

* * *

To say that people were surprised (and afraid) to see Maleficent walking the halls of Regina's castle was an understatement. There were those on the council that who were opposed to the dragon being anywhere near the castle, but once they learned she might be useful in helping them defeat Zelena, all opinions were muttered in quiet.

"Regina! You're back…and you brought more company. Hello Maleficent," Snow stood to happily greet her stepmother but was taken aback by the arrival of Maleficent in human form.

"Snow," Maleficent barely gave the princess a sparing glance as she sauntered into the great room.

"It's a long story; I'll explain later. She says Rumple knows more about Zelena than he's letting on," Regina moved to stand in front of Snow while Maleficent quietly chatted with Jefferson.

Snow looked less than pleased to see her, but her expression remained neutral when she learned that Maleficent could actually be of use to them.

"Do you think Rumple is hiding something?" Regina sighed and shook her head.

"Just because he's Henry's grandfather doesn't change the fact that the man has been The Dark One for centuries,"

"You're right; but what are you gonna do about-"

"She's not here to harm anyone Snow,"

"You can relax princess; I'm only here to help. Trust me, I want this Zelena bitch gone just as badly as I want to be away from you," Maleficent said, startling both Snow and Regina.

"God Mal! You can't just sneak up on people like that!" Regina scolded, only to be met with a smirk.

"Since when did The Evil Queen become such a scaredy cat?"Mal raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Since I had three times the amount of blood and hormones coursing through my body," Regina muttered.

"No one told you to let the thief knock you up," Regina rolled her eyes in annoyance as Snow looked on curiously.

"She sensed it when I stepped foot in her castle…and she's not telling anyone about this, right Mal?" Maleficent nodded slowly, more focused on picking dirt from underneath her nails.

"Rumple should be here any-"

"I thought I smelled a fire-breathing dragon; Maleficent…and in human form. I assume Regina had something to do with that?" Rumple seemed to be in better spirits since Zelena's arrest, but his calm demeanor after her escape unnerved everyone.

"Rumplestiltskin, it's been a long time…and I see you're still pining after your little maid," Maleficent tilted her head and gave Belle a smug wave.

"Why is she here?" Belle asked as she stood behind Rumple.

"She's here because Regina is convinced she knows something about Zelena's disappearance," Rumple explained as Belle turned her attention towards Regina.

"And does she, know anything?"

"That's what we were hoping Rumple could tell us; Mal seems to think that-"

"You never told Regina the truth, did you?" Maleficent's voice held a cadence of anger to it.

"I have no idea what you're-"

"Oh spare me the coy bullshit Rumple; these two, did you know they were soulmates?" Maleficent said as she pointed at Robin and Regina.

"I was informed, yes," Mal glanced back at Regina for confirmation to tell Rumple about her pregnancy.

"And you know what happens when soulmates have children, don't you?" Rumple tilted his head to the side to look at Regina.

There were no words exchanged other than a quick nod from Regina.

"Rumple, what's going on?" Regina's face was schooled into a mask of seriousness, but on the inside, she was a nervous wreck.

"Well, Mother Superior won't be happy about this…"Rumple muttered as Maleficent rolled her eyes.

"What does the Blue Fairy have to do with this?" Robin wondered aloud.

"Will one of you two tell me what the hell is going on?" Regina snapped, looking between her friend and her mentor.

"Regina…" Mal began but Regina held up a hand.

"No Mal, there's something going and if it affects the life of…just tell me what's going on," Regina sighed.

"You might wanna sit down for this, all of you," Mal said as Rumple quietly whispered something to Belle. Whatever it was, Belle now seemed privy to Rumple and Regina's silent conversation.

"You four," Rumple said pointing to Robin, Regina, Snow, and Charming,

"Meet me in my chambers in ten minutes; Maleficent, come with me…now," Maleficent nodded and quickly followed.

"Regina, what's going on?" Snow asked as Regina shook her head, glancing back at Rumple and Mal's retreating figures.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's a game changer that's for sure," Regina said just as Belle approached them.

"Um, Rumple says you should bring Granny with you as well," Everyone nodded as Belle scurried off to follow Rumple.

"Whatever it is, we'll get through this together," Robin said; his hand rubbed soothing circles on Regina's lower back as she squeezed his other hand.

"I sure hope so,"

oOoOo

As instructed, Regina, Robin, Snow, Charming, and Granny made their way to Rumplestiltskin's chambers. Once they were inside, Rumple raised his hands, casting a spell of some sort over the room.

"What the hell was that for?" Regina frowned.

"Your castle has been compromised; whoever's working with Zelena has magic, powerful magic," Rumple explained before moving to stand in front of Regina.

"I'd had my suspicions on whether or not you were carrying…she's powerful, powerful indeed," Rumple murmured, causing a genuine fear to fill Regina's eyes.

"Rumple…" Regina's voice wavered for a moment as the imp took her hands into his own, giving them a quick squeeze.

"Regina, nothing bad is going to happen to your daughter…but there are a few things you should know about her, and about yourself as well," Regina swallowed and reluctantly took a seat next to Robin.

"You don't know anything about Cora's family, do you?" Rumple sat back in his chair as Belle brought him a large book which he immediately began flipping through until he came across a particular page.

"No; all I know is that she was the daughter of a miller," Regina replied.

"Cora wasn't just the daughter of a miller; Cora's mother, your grandmother possessed magic," Regina frowned.

"But, I thought-"

"Cora's mother was a powerful sorceress by the name of Hazel. Hazel was an alchemist, one who sought to create the elixir of life. You all do know what the Elixir of Life is, don't you?" Robin, Snow, and Charming shook their heads as Maleficent sighed heavily.

"We don't have time for Magic 101," Maleficent snapped.

"With what's at stake, I'd say a Cliffnotes version is quite necessary," Rumple said as he turned to face Maleficent.

"The Elixir of Life is what Pan was after when he kidnapped Henry. It grants the drinker the power of youthfulness, immortality and the power to cure all diseases…some argue that it has the power to bring back the dead,"

"So my…grandmother, she wanted this Elixir?"

"Oh, she didn't just want it…she procured all of the ingredients for it except one," The room was silent as Rumple spoke.

"Which ingredient was she missing?" Snow asked.

"The blood of the purveyor of Gray magic…" Rumple said, nodding towards Regina's midsection.

"Our child is…" Robin's eyes widened as tears welled in Regina's eyes.

"So the Gray, it's real?" Regina's voice was barely above a whisper.

"She's very real," Rumple nodded as Regina looked at Mal.

"Is this what you suspected, that she was-" Mal nodded sympathetically.

"I wasn't sure but when you said that you and Robin were soulmates…" Regina shook her head, wiping her tears.

"What happens if Zelena gets her hands on Excalibur?" Robin asked.

"If Zelena forges the sword together, she could use it to gain the last ingredient needed for the Elixir…"

"There's something you're not telling me; Rumple, what is it?" Rumplestiltskin sighed heavily.

"If Zelena were to use the blade on the child, she could cut down her magic, essentially killing her and possibly taking with her all light magic," Everyone in the room let out a collective gasp.

"Rumple, I thought you said that magic couldn't be destroyed?" Belle looked down at him from her position behind his chair.

"I thought it to be impossible as well, but given Regina and Zelena's lineage, I'd say anything is possible," Rumple said as Snow frowned.

"You said Regina _and_ Zelena's lineage. We don't know anything about Zelena's background," Rumple and Maleficent exchanged glances, a clear sign that whatever was about to come next was nothing good.

"As I said before, Cora's mother was a powerful witch, which is why it's less than surprising that the Gray would come through her lineage and so soon. When the magic council got wind that Hazel had the ingredients and that there was a possibility that the last ingredient would come from someone in her family…the decision was made to execute everyone,"

"Wait, my mother…how did she escape?"

"Your mother was Hazel's youngest child; the legend goes that Hazel hid Cora somewhere in the house and cloaked it with magic. Once the carnage was done, Cora was left wandering around the village until she was spotted by the miller's wife,"

"But what does that have to do with Zelena?" Charming asked.

"When I first met Cora, she was in quite the pickle; she was pregnant…but wasn't sure who the father was," Regina frowned.

"Wait, I thought you met my mother long before she married my father?" Just as she finished that sentence it dawned on Regina.

"Rumple, please tell me you aren't saying what I think you're saying," Rumple sighed heavily and nodded.

"Not exactly…Cora was in even more of a pickle because she'd somehow managed to get pregnant with twins, though they each had different fathers," Everyone frowned.

"Is that…that can't be possible?" Robin said, turning to face Regina.

"Oh but it is; you see, before meeting your father, Cora met a man named Jonathan who pretended to be a prince. The day she learned he was a fraud was the same day she met your father and discovered she was pregnant with Zelena,"

"But how-"

"She never told your father about Jonathan; they were...intimate and, you happened. When she began to show, she told him that she was carrying twins, but she let him believe both babies were his," Regina shook her head as she tried to wrap her head around what she'd just learned.

"So you're telling me that Zelena is my sister…I'm sorry, my twin sister," Regina laughed out loud; the whole thing seemed ridiculous. There was no way her mother would have lied to her about well, her entire life. But then again, her mother did lie about the events that brought she and Snow together, as well as killing Queen Eva. So the story wasn't that far-fetched after all.

"It would explain how she was able to get into your vault," Snow reminded her.

"What?"

"When Zelena broke into your vault in Storybrooke; you said your vault was sealed with blood magic and that it was impossible to break because all of your relatives were dead…" Robin said as Regina shook her head.

"So how did I end up with my mother and Zelena ended up…wherever the hell she was before she decided to ruin my life.

"Your mother broke a deal with me," Rumple said as Regina rolled her eyes.

"What kind of deal did she break?" Regina asked.

"Your mother used magic and didn't pay the price for using it. She came to me asking for my help. She made a deal with that if I helped her she'd give me her firstborn child…but she didn't disclose the fact that there were two of you,"

"That doesn't explain how only one of us ended up with her,"

"I learned years later that she was given a prophecy that said you and Zelena would grow up to become powerful sorceresses. You would both go down paths with darkness and eventually find one another. She also learned that one of you would give birth to gray magic…once she knew which of you would be the greatest, she made her decision," Snow shook her head.

"That's so cruel; so she threw Zelena away because a prophecy told her that Regina would have a powerful child,"

"Wait, I thought everyone but you knew that she was pregnant with twins? What happened when she gave birth?"

"Zelena came early while your father was away on royal business. She gave birth and placed Zelena in the woods. When your father came back she told him that only one child had survived…you," Regina shook her head, suddenly feeling an immense sense of pity for the woman who was now her sister.

"You knew the entire time who I was, didn't you?" Rumple sighed.

"At first, when you struggled with your magic, I had my doubts on whether Cora had given up the right child or not…but remember dearie, I've seen you, at your best and your worst. As cruel as this is gonna sound, Cora made the right decision,"

"How can you say that? God, Rumple! My mother threw Zelena away like she meant nothing!"

"To Cora, she didn't; Zelena's fate was sealed either way. There was no way Cora was going to be what Zelena needed even if she had kept her…she wasn't her meal ticket to power, you were,"

"So you're saying even if I wasn't the one who birthed the gray, my mother still would've chosen me because of…" Regina let out a harsh breath.

"What about the baby? How do we protect her?" Robin asked; this was a lot for him to take in, but he knew that he now had to be the strong one in their relationship, if not for his daughter, but for Regina. Especially for Regina after what she had just learned about her mother.

"The only way to protect her is to find out exactly who Zelena's working with,"

"My money's on that Blue moth," Maleficent muttered as Snow sighed.

"I know that the Blue Fairy is a sensitive subject for most of us in the room but-" Regina held up a hand.

"Now think about it Snow; Blue has been around for quite some time. She was one of the first fairies on the grand council…speaking of, Rumple, was Blue on the council when-"

"If you're asking if Blue was on grand council when the order was given to execute your grandmother…she was. In fact, Blue was the one who gave the order," Regina frowned as Snow's jaw dropped in shock.

"Oh don't look so surprised dear," Mal sat back in her chair picking at her nails, seemingly unbothered by the whole ordeal.

"So, when she punished Tink for leading me to Robin…she's known who I am this entire time," Regina felt her blood boil, she was angry. She was worse than angry, she felt an unexplainable sense of rage when she thought of the little fairy bitch.

"I know what you're thinking…don't," Rumple warned.

"I wasn't-"

"You were thinking of confronting her. Rumple's right Regina, if Blue is working with Zelena she can't know that we suspect her," Maleficent said.

"Uh, excuse me? Why am I here?" Granny asked. She'd been quiet for most of the meeting, listening to all of the shocking revelations.

"You're here because we need your wolf senses; you were able to sense the danger of Zelena's undead army. You pick up on the nonmagical things we can't," Rumple explained.

"Plus someone has to be on Regina's ass about taking care of herself. You seem to be someone everyone either fears or respects,"Maleficent explained.

"So what are we supposed to do now?" Regina asked; her head was spinning.

She needed time alone to think. She also needed to talk to Robin about all of this. It was one thing to be having a baby with The Evil Queen, but to be the father of the most powerful practitioner of magic the world has ever seen whose life was in danger before she was even born was an entirely different story.

"We act as if nothing's wrong; you try and hide your pregnancy for a bit longer, or do a cloaking spell to hide it completely. You four keep interviewing people who've come into the castle over the last few months. Maleficent stays almost out of site; I'm not sure how people would feel if the dragon who sought to turn them into barbeque was seen roaming the halls of the castle," Rumple said as Maleficent rolled her eyes.

"No one knows what I look like outside of my dragon form," she scoffed.

"He's right Mal; someone from Storybrooke might recognize you. Jefferson already did,"

"You mean the hatter? He doesn't know me from Storybrooke dear," Mal said, and for a second Regina could've sworn she saw the tiniest of smiles ghost across her old friend's face.

"Fine, I'll 'stay hidden' " Mal grumbled.

"Also, we can't be seen having secret meetings," Rumple said; with a wave of his hand, the wall opened up, leading to a secret passageway.

"How the hell did you-"

"I taught you this trick, remember?" Rumple said with a smirk as Regina rolled her eyes.

"Go through the tunnel; Regina knows how to make sure you don't get seen by anyone,"

And with that, everyone left the room and went back to their perspective places.

Undisclosed Location, Enchanted Forest

"So Regina's my sister? We're twins?" Zelena was tied to a chair as Gothel and Drizella revealed this new information to her.

"Yes, Cora didn't want you because your father wasn't a real prince," Drizella said.

Zelena could tell that she wouldn't be liking the girl very much; she wondered why Gothel felt the need to include her in this plan.

"So what about Glinda's prophesy?"

"Your mother was given a similar prophecy when she was pregnant, that one of you would defeat the other…but it doesn't have to end that way. You can defeat Regina, you can be victorious," Gothel said with a smile.

"That just might be a problem…it seems as if Robin Hood has gotten her pregnant," Zelena looked up at the sound of an all-too-familiar voice.

Standing in the doorway was none other than the Blue Fairy.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Zelena turned to Drizella and Gothel, who simply smiled.

"Mother Superior is our little mole; she gives us all the information we need. She's also the one who figured out the spell Regina used when she enchanted your cuff…you should be thanking her," Drizella said.

"Why? Why are you helping me?" Blue shook her head as she stood next to Gothel.

"Oh, I'm not helping you; the child that Regina is carrying cannot be born…and you're going to make sure of that,"

 _Chapter 33 to follow…_

* * *

 **So the secret's out: Regina and Zelena are sisters. Also, Blue has gotten into bed with Gothel, both literally and metaphorically. Drizella is mostly full of hot air, and a super huge evil plot is starting to unfold. We're getting really close to going back to Storybrooke and seeing what Emma and Henry have been up to during the Missing Year. In the next chapter, Drizella will have a run-in with Regina, we'll meet Tiana and Jacinda, as well as a much-needed chat between Robin and Regina…and there could possibly be a secret wedding happening as well!**

 **Xx**


	33. Chapter 31

**It's been such a long time since I posted the last chapter; a lot has happened to me since the last update. But none of that's important right now, here's the update.**

 **P.S. We'll be introduced to a few new folks from the current season as well as checking in on our resident "big bad" and the folks helping her.**

* * *

Regina was shaken to her core after their meeting with Mal and Rumple. It was a lot to digest, learning that her child was going to be perhaps the most powerful being on earth. What was even more mindboggling was the information she'd learned about her mother. She knew how cruel her mother was, _but to this extent_? _Lying and giving up her child_? Regina shook her head as she and Robin silently walked down the corridor and back to their room.

"Regina?" Robin's voice was quiet as he called out to her; she turned to look at him but remained silent.

"Are you alright, love? I know that was a lot to take in but-"

"It should've been me," she murmured quietly.

"Come again?"

"I should've been the one who…Robin, what my mother did was horrible; Zelena didn't deserve that!" Tears filled Regina's eyes as she shook her head.

"Regina, I know what your mother did was-"

"No, you don't, Robin! This, what my mother did…my whole life has been a lie! The only reason I'm the queen is because my father was royal," Robin shook his head as caused them to come to a stop. He stood in front of her and gently placed his arms on her shoulders.

"Regina, do you _honestly_ think your life would've been better if your mother had given you up instead of Zelena?" Regina looked pensively at him.

"Robin, I-"

"No. No think about it; you've seen Zelena. Do you honestly think any of us would be safe if Zelena had been the Evil Queen? More importantly, _where would_ _ **Henry**_ _be if she had ended up with your life_?"

Regina paused for a moment; there were so many emotions floating through her head. What _would_ her life be like if she had been the one who'd been given up at birth? What would her life be like without her father, without Daniel, without Henry; without Snow, Emma, Roland, and Robin? More importantly, what about the child she was carrying; what would happen to her? She shook her head quickly; as hard as things were to digest, Regina knew what had to be done.

"Alright, how do we destroy my sister, and keep our daughter safe?"

oOoOo

In the days that followed, Regina, Robin, and the heroes spent their time discussing ways to defeat Zelena. When they weren't doing that, they were keeping a close eye on the new residents of the castle. Thanks to Maleficent destroying several nearby villages, there were several hundred people who now resided in the castle. The fact that there were so many people roaming around meant that any one of those people could have helped Zelena escape.

It was mid-morning and Regina's cravings had begun to increase within the last few days. It seemed as if she wanted to eat every fifteen minutes or so. The heroes were in the middle of a meeting when the most wonderful smell filled her nostrils. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the sweet scent; Robin glanced at her strangely for a moment. She opened her eyes and tried to focus on the meeting, but that smell, that beautiful smell; it wouldn't go away. She stood up abruptly, causing everyone to look at her.

"Regina, are you alright?" Snow tilted her head to the side in worry.

"Yeah, I'm fine; I'll, I'll be right back," Regina quickly made her way out of the great room and down the hall, to find out where that smell seemed to be coming from.

She followed it, down the hall, around the corner, and down a flight of stairs. She stopped when she found herself standing outside the door where the smell was now assaulting her nostrils. She quickly opened the door, surprised to find two women in the kitchen along with a small child. The women turned around and let out a yelp.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you but, that smell, I could smell it all the way up in the great room," The women looked at her in surprise. However, it was the little boy who surprised her.

"Wow! You're the Evil Queen!" Regina's eyes widened in surprise at the little boy's response.

"Noel, don't say that," the woman, presumably his mother, hissed before looking up at Regina.

"I'm so sorry your majesty; I'm Tiana, and this is my son Noel," Regina nodded slowly before the other young woman in the room introduced herself.

"Your Majesty; my name's Cinderella," Regina frowned.

"I thought I already knew a Cinderella?" Tiana smiled as she quickly jumped in to explain.

"You probably do, but Ella's from another realm; one where apparently there can be more than one Cinderella,"

"How do you-"

"I'm from the land without magic, New Orleans to be exact," Regina's eyes widened.

"But, how did you-"

"It's a long story; I've been here for a long time, long before your curse was cast. I met Ella in a neighboring part of the Enchanted Forest. We ended up here because Ella's stepmother, Lady Tremaine, took over my kingdom," Regina nodded.

"By here I assume you mean in one of the villages," Tiana nodded.

"Yeah, but a big dragon burned up everything," the little boy Noel said as Regina smiled at him.

"That dragon was my friend Maleficent,"

"You know the dragon who burned up our village?" Noel looked up at her in wonder.

"I do," Regina said as she looked up at Tiana and Ella.

"I do apologize for that. Mal was…well, it's a long story," Tiana and Ella nodded.

"I hope we weren't disturbing you; I know that you've been busy, trying to defeat the Wicked Witch and all," Ella said as Regina sighed heavily.

"No, you weren't disturbing me; I was…well, I actually was following this wonderful smell and it led me here," Regina smiled as Noel grinned up at her.

"You smelled mama's beignets,"

"Beignets?" Tiana chuckled as she explained,

"Back when I lived in New Orleans I used to own a restaurant and I made Beignets. They're basically a glorified version of a pastry, but deep fried,"

"That sounds and smells like heaven," Tiana smiled.

"Would you like to try one, your majesty?"

"Yes please, and Regina's just fine,"

"One plate of Beignets coming right up, Regina,"

oOoOo

By the time she caught up with Robin again, Regina was absolutely stuffed. She managed to eat three beignets before realizing how long she'd been gone. Robin immediately wrapped his arms around her when he saw her.

"Regina, where on earth have you been? I've been looking all over for you; Snow and I were worried sick,"

"Relax, I'm fine; I just got a little hungry, that's all," Snow frowned.

"Did you go into the kitchen? Because we looked there and didn't see you,"

"That's because she wasn't in my kitchen," Granny said.

"You mean there's more than one kitchen in here?" Snow asked as Regina rolled her eyes.

"You spent a large portion of your summer's here; how did you not know…nevermind,"

"I assume you've met Tiana?" Granny asked.

"I did; how come you never made Beignets in Storybrooke?" Granny rolled her eyes.

"Someone cursed me to where the only thing I can make is frozen lasagna, burgers, salads, and breakfast food," Regina winced.

"Sorry about that; but her Beignets are wonderful,"

"The girl's got potential, I'll give her that much," The old woman muttered something else under her breath before walking away.

"Who's Tiana?" Snow asked.

"And what the heck are Beignets?" Robin frowned.

"Beignets are…nevermind what they are; Tiana's from the land without magic," Snow and Robin listened intently as Regina revealed to them all that Tiana and Ella had told her.

"So you think that Ella's godmother could possibly be working with Zelena?" Snow asked; Regina shrugged.

"I don't know; I mean, it's possible but Ella says her stepmother doesn't have magic…at least, not magic powerful enough to help Zelena escape.

"So, now what?"

"I wanna meet with Ella's stepmother, Lady Tremaine,"

"Do you think that's wise?" Robin asked.

"She might know something so, it's worth a shot," Regina said.

"We should bring this information to the council at the next meeting," Snow suggested.

"I don't know; I feel like whoever's behind helping Zelena escape is someone close to us,"

"Do you think Rumplestiltskin could be-" Regina shook her head.

"If he were helping Zelena, why would he tell me all of this information about my mother and my baby?" Robin and Snow looked at one another.

"Maybe he wanted you to know so that he could use it to his advantage?" Robin suggested.

"That doesn't make sense," Regina sighed.

"Regina, no one knows why Rumplestiltskin does what he does," Snow said.

"She's got a point love; no one knew why he gave you the dark curse,"

"He gave it to me because…" Regina paused; exactly why _did_ Rumple give her the curse? Shaking her head, she responded,

"Look, I've known Gold longer than either of you. Believe me when I tell you, Gold isn't responsible for helping Zelena. She used his dagger to torture him and sent his son on a crazy mission in Camelot to find a sword that has the power to potentially destroy all magic. There's no way he'd help her after that," Snow nodded slowly.

"Now that I think about it, Gold helping Zelena doesn't make any sense. He'd never give anyone his dagger; I don't even think Belle's had it before,"

"So if Gold's not helping her, who the hell is?" Robin asked.

Enchanted Forest-Unknown Location

Zelena was more than happy to be free of those pesky restraints that Gothel and Drizella had used on her. She still didn't know where she was or what their grand plan was. However, while she was clueless about how she'd defeat Regina, this was still better than being locked away in a dungeon awaiting a swift execution.

"So am I ever going to find out what this grand plan of yours is?" Zelena asked, interrupting a conversation between Gothel and Drizella.

"Are you sure we need her?" Drizella asked, shooting Zelena a look of annoyance.

"Yes, she's essential to our plan," Gothel calmly said as she walked over to Zelena.

"All you need to know is that what we have in store for Regina is as evil as possible," Zelena grinned wickedly just as there was a knock on the door.

After a few moments, the door opened and the Blue Fairy made her way into the room.

"Well?" Gothel looked at Blue hopefully.

"Regina met Ella and Tiana today," Blue casually took a seat in a nearby chair as she gave them the details of the day's happenings.

"And she doesn't suspect that you're the mole?"

"I'm pretty sure Regina's suspected a lot of things about me, but that's neither here nor there," Blue said.

"When are we gonna destroy her?" Zelena snapped as Blue rolled her eyes, turning her attention towards Gothel and Drizella.

"Have you two not informed her of the plan?" Drizella shook her head in annoyance before moving towards Zelena.

"Here's how this is going to work; we can't do anything until Regina gives birth to that baby. Gothel has spies in Camelot keeping an eye on Neal. Once Excalibur is retrieved, we'll make an attack on Regina's castle, steal Rumplestiltskin's Dark One blade, take the baby and then you'll forge the swords together," Zelena nodded slowly before turning her attention towards Blue.

"How far along is she?"

"She should be nearing four months,"

"So we're to do what until she gives birth?" Drizella shook her head in annoyance.

"This is the woman you two chose to help us get the-"

"This plan was set in motion long before any of us existed," Gothel said calmly.

"As I informed you before, your mother was given a prophecy that says one of you would carry the gray while the other would be destroyed by it. You don't wanna be destroyed by the Gray, do you Zelena?" Blue asked.

"...So we're basically playing the waiting game for the next five months?"

"Who says we're going to be sitting around doing nothing for the next five months? Blue, you said that Regina met Ella today, right?" Blue nodded.

"What do you say we keep the heroes preoccupied by leading them to the person who 'helped' Zelena escape?" Blue smiled wickedly at Gothel's plan.

"Drizella, I think it's high time you paid a visit to the castle," Drizella grinned evilly.

"It would be my honor; I've always wanted to meet a queen,"

 _Chapter 34 to follow…_

* * *

 **I can't say if we'll see more of Tiana and Ella or if we'll meet Prince Naveen or anyone else from the Princess and the Frog. In the next chapter, Drizella will be paying a visit to Regina's castle; we could possibly see Lady Tremaine, and I do plan on doing an Outlaw Queen wedding or just giving them time with each other or at least Roland at some point. Things are progressing pretty quickly, I'd say we're getting pretty close to heading back to Storybrooke. I'd say we're at the most five chapters away from heading into Part III.**

 **I look forward to having another update again soon!**

 **Xx**


	34. Chapter 32

**Strange things be happenin in this chapter…enjoy!**

* * *

Robin carefully made his way back into their bedroom after spending some time with Roland. Regina had gone up to their chambers after her meeting with Tiana and Cinderella number two. When he came in, he found Regina curled up on her side; he wasn't sure if she was asleep or not. He climbed on the bed and curled up next to her, gently wrapping his arms around her belly.

"Regina?" Robin peered over her shoulder when he heard a quiet sniffling.

"Regina?" After a few moments, she turned to face him, her face stained with tears.

He sighed heavily and gathered her into his arms, holding her close until her shudders subsided. When he was sure she had calmed down, Robin pressed a kiss to her brow and smiled at her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Regina was still lying with her head on his lap as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"I fell asleep and I had a dream about Zelena,"

"What did you dream about?" Slowly, she sat up and looked at him, placing her palms on the sides of his face.

"I dreamt that Zelena she, she found a way to harm my children," Robin could hear the fear in her voice. He faintly stored it in the back of his mind that along with Henry and the baby, Regina now included Roland as one of her children. However, the dream she'd had seemed to shake her to her core; he wrapped his arms around her as a sign of reassurance.

"Regina, I assure you, nothing will happen to any of our children," Regina smiled up at him.

"I know that, _but_ …" Regina glanced up at him as he smiled back at her.

" _But_ …"

"My dream didn't end there,"

"Oh?"

"I was able to defeat her…because you were there. You didn't do anything but just, having you there seemed to help," Robin smiled at her before pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Whatever way you need me to help you defeat Zelena and to keep our children safe, I'm willing to do it,"

"Marry me… "

Enchanted Forest-Unknown Realm:

She hated having to come back here.

Facing her mother was the last thing Drizella wanted to be doing, but if she wanted to exact her revenge, then this was what she had to do. She took a deep breath before her fingers wrapped sharply on the door three times. She closed her eyes and waited a few moments before she heard a shuffling sound come from the other side. After a few moments, the large wooden door swung open and Drizella was face to face with her mother.

"Drizella, surprise seeing you here," Lady Tremaine's voice held a bit of disdain behind it as she stared at her daughter

"Hello mother; we need to talk," Drizella casually leaned against the doorframe of her childhood home.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to know that Cinderella has been staying at the Winter Castle; The Evil Queen's returned to the Enchanted Forest," Lady Tremaine raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"I thought once she cast that fancy curse of hers that she'd never return,"

"Well she has and Ella told her everything; that you killed her father, and her mother, and how you took over Tiana's kingdom," Lady Tremaine listened carefully and nodded.

"And what does all of that have to do with you?"

"I just thought I'd come and warn you, that's all," Drizella stood casually picking imaginary dirt from under her nails as she waited for her mother's response.

"You know Drizella, you really are a stupid girl. I know you're not here to warn me about the Evil Queen…you're here to distract me so that I don't know what you and Gothel have planned," Drizella's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, didn't think I knew that you were working with her, did you? I knew you'd be weak enough for her to sink her claws into you," Drizella shook her head slowly.

"You have no idea what Gothel has planned, but rest assured mother, when I'm done with you, you'll be sorry for what you did to me," With a wave of her hand, Drizella disappeared in a cloud of Black smoke.

When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in the safe house where Zelena, Gothel, and the Blue Fairy were waiting.

"Well, the seed's been planted; now I'm off to cause a little trouble with the queen," Drizella grinned at Gothel, who nodded approvingly.

"Well done my pet; soon enough your revenge against your mother will be complete," Drizella smiled wickedly before disappearing into a cloud of smoke.

"What the bloody hell was that about?" Zelena questioned.

"Drizella thinks that I'm going to help her seek revenge on her mother," Gothel said coolly.

"And aren't you?"

"No; I have bigger fish to fry than Rapunzel, Drizella is just…a means to an end,"

"And what am I then? Just another pawn in whatever scheme you two have cooked up?" The Blue Fairy smiled at Zelena as she slowly approached her.

"You, you're the key to getting Gothel and I what we want," Before Zelena could respond, Blue waved a hand over her face, erasing all memory of their previous conversation as well as all knowledge she had of Blue and Gothel working together.

"Zelena, I need you to listen to me carefully; you've been hiding out here in this cabin since Lady Tremaine helped you escape. You're going to go back to Rumplestiltskin's castle and stay there; all of the information about what the Evil Queen has planned will be given to you. It'll simply appear out of nowhere when you need it. Don't worry, you'll defeat the Evil Queen; you're going to cast The Dark Curse, but with a few twists. Once the curse is cast, you must retrieve the blade of the Dark One and forge it with the Sword of Camelot, but whatever you do, _do_ **not** kill the baby," With that, Zelena woke up; there wasn't a trace of Gothel or Blue in sight.

"What am I doing here? Oh, right; That Tremaine broad helped me escape…and since no one's come looking for me, it seems as if the coast would be clear for me to go back to Rumplestiltskin's castle. I've got a Dark Curse to work on…" Zelena laughed wickedly before disappearing into a cloud of smoke.

Once she was gone, Blue and Gothel reappeared, smiling wickedly.

"Imagine how pissed she's going to be when she realizes she won't be killing that baby," Gothel shook her head amusingly.

"She won't be around to realize that; that child that Regina's carrying is powerful, more powerful than any other magical being in all the realms," Blue said.

"So the child really is the prophesized Gray?" Gothel moved to stand next to Blue as they looked out the window, a perfect view of Regina's castle in sight.

"Unfortunately she is; I thought I'd taken care of that little problem ages ago but…that's neither here nor there. The child has become useful, seeing as she's the only one powerful enough to restore magic to this…" Blue held in her hand a small round object, a medal crest of sorts.

"Is that…" Gothel's eyes shined like new money as Blue grinned at her.

"Indeed it is; the resurrection amulet. It took quite a bit for me to get my hands on this," Gothel went to reach for it and suddenly, it disappeared.

"I wanted you to see it, to understand just how much is at stake here," Gothel nodded slowly.

"Zelena can't kill that child,"

"No, she can't; that child is the key to us resurrecting the Black Fairy,"

oOoOo

Robin sat in shock; Regina was asking him to marry her.

"You, you want to get married?" Robin said slowly as Regina nodded, though her smile had faded.

"I know I said I didn't want to until Henry was here but…Robin, in my dream there was something about us being together that…nevermind, it's silly," Regina shook her head, maneuvering herself until she was standing up.

"Regina, I never said-"

"It doesn't matter Robin; forget I mentioned it," She sighed heavily as she moved to the balcony.

"Regina, I never said I didn't want to marry you," Robin sighed as he moved to stand behind her.

Robin took her silence as a sign to continue talking,

"You just seemed so adamant about not having a big wedding or a wedding at all; at least not without Henry here. What exactly changed your mind?" Robin rested his chin on her shoulder as his hands dangled loosely around her belly.

"I just…that dream Robin, it was so real; the more I think about it, the faster I seem to forget. But one thing I can't forget are the rings we were wearing,"

"We wore rings?" Regina nodded.

"But I felt like we'd been wearing them for ages; we were in Storybrooke and Zelena was there and she had the baby and…" Regina quickly shoved Robin away as she leaned forward, pressing her hands to her head as though she were in pain.

"Regina, Regina what's wrong?" Robin's heart began to race; whatever this was didn't seem good.

"Something's wrong; find Mal, now!"

oOoOo

In five minutes time, Robin was racing down the hall, Rumplestiltskin, Granny Lucas, and Maleficent quickly following behind him. When he got inside of the room, Snow was hovering over the bed where Regina lie completely still.

"What happened? Is she, is the baby-"

"I don't know," Snow's eyes were filled with fear as Granny gently pushed her aside; Maleficent and Rumplestiltskin stood in a nearby corner talking quietly.

"What's wrong with her; no secrets," Robin demanded as Mal turned to face him.

"The child she's carrying, she's just stretching her magic, that's all," Robin became infuriated at the calmness of the dragon's voice.

"Just stretching her ma…you may be privy to this type of magic but I'm not. Regina's one of the strongest practitioners of magic who's ever lived and twice this child has brought her to her knees…how can we be sure that this baby-"

"No harm will come to Regina during this pregnancy," Rumplestiltskin reassured him.

"How can you say that, look at her?!"

"Indeed; take a look at Regina for yourself," Rumple motioned towards the bed where Regina now sat up quietly talking with Granny. Robin breathed a sigh of relief before rushing towards her.

"Regina! Are you alright?" Regina looked surprised at the way Robin was hugging her.

"I'm fine Robin; what's going on? Why am I in bed and…why do you look so worried?" There was a faint smile on her face as she reached out to gently cup his cheek. Slowly he turned towards Maleficent and Rumple.

"She's no clue what just happened," Rumple and Mal exchanged a look before calling Robin out to the balcony.

oOoOo

"Exactly what was she doing before this little…episode?" Mal asked.

"Well, she'd been down in the kitchen where she met someone, a woman from The Land Without Magic. Someone by the name of Tiana," Rumple nodded, muttering something under his breath.

"Exactly what did this…Tiana woman say to Regina?"

"She said she'd been here since before Regina cast her curse; there was another woman with her…a second Cinderella of sorts," This time it was Maleficent's turn to look at Rumplestiltskin strangely, waiting for some type of explanation.

"Henry's storybook is quite unique; there are many versions of our stories that've been written. These different versions of who we exist within another realm, or should I say another part of the Enchanted Forest,"

"So, there's more than one man claiming to be Robin Hood?" Robin asked.

"It's possible, but his story doesn't intersect or interfere with yours. In fact, if there is another, it's highly unlikely your paths will ever cross,"

"So how did this Cinderella 2.0 manage to come into our midst?" Maleficent asked.

"Because of where her land exists; I'm pretty sure you both have heard of the Edge of Realms," Robin and Mal nodded.

"Well, the closer you to get to the Edge of Realms, more…portals open, different people and places exist. In order to know more about them, we'd have to have a little chat with our new Cinderella as well as Princess Tiana,"

"Wait, she fed Regina something…beignets I believe. Do you think she-" Rumple shook his head.

"I know this Tiana woman, sort of. Let me reassure you, she'd in no way harm Regina. What happened to Regina is exactly like Maleficent said. Your daughter's simply trying out her magic; what was Regina doing just before this episode?"

"Well…she'd asked me to marry her; more like begged me. I thought it strange but, she said she'd had a dream…one where we were in Storybrooke and Zelena had put the children in danger. Regina said she defeated her but she said that having me there made her able to do it; she talked about, us having rings…"

"Your daughter was sending you a message," Rumple explained as Robin frowned.

"What kind of message?"

"If Regina dreamed Zelena was hurting the child back in Storybrooke…" Rumple shook his head slowly.

"Rumple, what is it?" Mal asked.

"The child as the ability of a seer; what I'm guessing that the dream was supposed to be a warning,"

"She said about the more she talked about it, the more hazy things seemed to become," Rumple hummed quietly as he closed his eyes. After a few moments, the imp seemed to be knocked down by an imaginary force, surprising both Robin and Mal.

"What the hell was that?" Mal asked as Robin helped him to his feet.

"I tried to use my seeer's power to tap into whatever it is that your daughter saw…apparently she's not too keen on others invading her space," Rumple smirked lightly as Robin shook his head.

"Is it…I love Regina and I'm over the moon about this child but…isn't there a way to, I dunno, bind her powers?"

"It's something to be considered; however I won't do it at your request alone," Rumple said.

"But how-"

"This child is powerful; imagine what thrusting her into a world of magic will do to her when she's an adult?" Robin paused; his mind was so full as he thought of this child, this child that he loved, but also possessed very raw, very uncontrollable, untamed magic.

"Can we stop this incident from happening again?" Robin sighed.

"With power that raw…it'll be hard," Rumple said shaking his head.

Robin glanced back at Regina, who appeared to look fine as she sat with a scowl on her face while Snow and Granny fussed over her.

"So what do I do if she asks what happened?"

"Tell her the truth," Mal said.

"And if she asks me about getting married again?"

"That's something we can't help you with," Rumple said as he and Mal made their way back into Robin and Regina's bedroom.

Nine months sure seemed far off…

 _Chapter 35 to follow…_

* * *

 **I started to do an Outlaw Queen wedding but…my muse took me here. Also, all of the questions about Blue working with Gothel will be fully addressed…in the sequel. Because a story like this must have a sequel. Otherwise, I could end up with a hundred plus chapters and this story has been ongoing for about two-and-a-half years. Next up, Drizella will most definitely be paying a trip to Regina's castle. Robin and Regina will most definitely be having a very serious talk about their baby's newfound and ever-expanding powers. I'm tentatively going to say there will be an OQ wedding but my muse makes no promises.**

 **See you in Chapter 35!**

 **Xx**


	35. Chapter 33

**Picking up where we left off…**

* * *

After talking to Rumplestiltskin and Maleficent, Robin's head was spinning. He never knew it to be possible for such raw power to exist in one being. Of course, he immediately felt bad after suggesting that Rumplestiltskin bind his daughter's powers. It wasn't because he was afraid of her; it was because he didn't want to burden her with such a huge responsibility. He also wanted to protect her from all the creatures that would surely be after her. He looked up from his thoughts when he heard Regina call out to him.

"Robin? You've been out on the balcony for some time now. Are you alright?" Regina stood in the entryway to the balcony as she stared at Robin.

"I was so worried about you, I-" Robin sighed heavily as Regina reached out to take his hands, placing them on her stomach.

"Shh. I know," Regina leaned up to kiss the tip of his nose.

"This is a lot to adjust to," Robin chuckled.

"This is _definitely_ a lot to adjust to. I didn't think I'd be able to have children; and if I'm honest, after adopting Henry, I didn't feel like I needed to." Robin nodded as he waited for her to continue.

"I have no idea what happened earlier; but whatever it was, had to have been bad if you called for Rumple _and_ Mal,"

"You told me to call them,"

" _I did_?" Robin nodded.

"You did," She sighed heavily before closing her eyes.

"Robin…what happened?" Robin sighed as he moved his hands from her belly to give her hands a squeeze.

"You'd had a bad dream,"

"A bad dream?"

"You had a dream that Zelena was trying to harm our children," Regina let out a soft gasp.

"Did she…" Robin shook his head slowly, pressing a kiss to her brow for reassurance.

"No, she wasn't able to; you never told me how but, you were able to defeat her," Regina breathed a sigh of relief.

"What happened after that?" Robin chuckled.

"Well…you asked me to marry you," Regina's eyes widened in surprise before she laughed softly.

"I did?"

"Mmhm,"

"Well, what did you say?" Regina grinned.

"I didn't get the chance to respond because you started grabbing your head and doubled over as if you were in pain,"

"That must be when I called for Mal," Robin nodded.

"It was my idea to bring along Rumplestiltskin, being that he was your teacher and all,"

"Did they know what was wrong?"

"Mal said it the baby was just stretching her magic, though Rumplestiltskin suggested that your dream may have been the baby's way of trying to warn us of something,"

"What could she be trying to warn us about?"

"I don't know,"

Regina sighed heavily as she leaned into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. Robin sighed heavily as he pressed a kiss to her hair; they were both worried. This child's magic was beyond what either one of them could understand.

"Robin, her magic is…it's far beyond anything I've ever seen. I'm worried for her,"

"As am I…which is why I…may have suggested Rumplestiltskin bind her powers," Regina's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Hear me out; I thought about it because…her power is, it's unlike anything ever seen before. I didn't…people will be after her. Look at what's happening right now!" Regina sighed heavily.

"Robin, Zelena doesn't know I'm pregnant,"

" _Who's to say she doesn't_? Someone in this castle helped her escape...what if someone overheard-"

"What did Rumple say when you suggested binding our daughter's powers without telling me?" Robin winced; he could tell Regina was upset.

"He said he wouldn't do it if you weren't on board…but I want you to know that I immediately regretted the idea after I suggested it. Regina, I don't want to bind her powers because it's her connection to you. It's part of who she is; but at the same time I don't want her to get hurt and I don't want her being hunted down for the rest of her life," This time it was Regina's turn to sigh.

"I'm scared for her too. I didn't grow up with magic; I don't know anyone who did. And as…tempting as it would be to bind her powers, I can't help but think of Emma,"

"Emma? How does Emma fit into all of this?"

"Emma was the product of True Love, which means she was born with magic almost as powerful as the baby's; she was also destined to be the savior. But when she was sent to the Land Without Magic, she knew nothing about her wasn't until Henry brought her to Storybrooke and she broke the curse that she learned about her powers. When we went to Neverland Emma was so angry with Snow and Charming for giving her up. I don't want our daughter to grow up hating us," Robin sighed heavily.

"So, what do we do?" Robin looked down at Regina, genuine worry and concern for both she and the baby.

"We have to trust that we can keep her safe," Robin nodded, pulling her in closer to him.

"And what of your dream?" Regina shrugged.

"I can't remember it…but I do wanna talk about us getting married," she grinned.

"Oh do you?" Regina nodded.

"But, I thought you said-"

"I know, but I also talked to Snow and she said that Henry would want me to be happy…and I think he'd be more than thrilled to have Robin Hood as his stepfather. He kinda looks up to you y'know. Kind of adores you; it's actually pretty cute," Robin smiled at seeing the way Regina's eyes lit up when she talks about Henry.

"And what of you, my love? What do you think of me?" Regina sighed heavily.

"I…I won't say that all of this isn't scary, us, Tinkerbell's prophesy, the baby…but, I do know that I care about you, I care about you a lot. You know, one of the last things Daniel said to me was that I should love again…" Robin gave Regina a little squeeze.

"Do you think you're ready to love again?" Regina chuckled as she gestured to her stomach.

"I think it's a little too late to be asking that question,"

"Regina, while things may have happened a bit fast, I still want to know if-" She cut him off with a kiss.

"I can't say it yet but…"

"Then I'll wait until you're ready. For now, I'll take pride in knowing that you wish to have me as your husband. I know I can never replace your first love but-" Tears filled Regina's eyes as she kissed him again.

"I don't want you to replace Daniel, I want you to be yourself," Robin grinned.

"That I can do,"

oOoOo

Drizella shook her head as she stood outside of the Evil Queen's castle. Her mother had to pay for what she'd done to her. Working with Gothel and Blue was the only way to get her revenge. Her mother had to suffer and for Drizella that meant by any means necessary. She shook her head and attempted to make her way into the castle. However, an arrow went whizzing past her head.

"Stop where you are!" Drizella looked around to find the source of the arrow. She jumped back when a hooded figured moved towards her.

"Who are you and where did you come from?" The hooded figure revealed itself, surprising Drizella by being a woman.

"Who are you?"

"I believe I'll be asking the questions; who are you?" Drizella let out an annoyed sigh.

"My name is Drizella, and I need to see the Evil Queen,"

"What business do you have with the Queen?" Drizella smirked at the woman standing in front of her; she was cute.

"Well, I'm pretty sure she'd like to know who's responsible for helping the Wicked Witch escape," Mulan raised an eyebrow

"Alright, let's go," Mulan was skeptical but escorted Drizella inside.

oOoOo

Regina, Robin, Snow, Charming and the other members of the council gathered in the throne room to meet with Drizella. Regina sat on her throne and regarded the girl with much skepticism.

"Who exactly are you?" Prince Charming asked.

"My name is Drizella; my mother, Lady Tremaine, is-"

"Wait, I know that name…you're Cinderella's sister," Regina said.

"I am," Drizella nodded.

"How do I know you're not working with your mother?"

"Cinderella can vouch for me; I left home a long time ago," Regina looked over at the other heroes.

"Regina, you've talked to Cinderella, what do you think?" Snow asked.

"Bring me Cinderella and Princess Tiana," Regina ordered one of the guards, who quickly obeyed.

"Right away your majesty,"

After a few moments, Tiana, Cinderella, and Tiana's son Noel were standing before the queen.

"Noel, how would you like to play with Roland? I know how much he enjoys playing with you," Regina asked with a smile. Noel regarded the suggestion with hesitation.

"Go on Noel, it'll be alright," The boy looked back at his mother and reluctantly, he followed Tinkerbell out of the throne room.

"I hate to have summoned you like that but, do you know her?" Regina gestured towards Drizella, who remained in Mulan's custody.

"I know her; she's my stepsister," Cinderella replied.

"What can you tell us about her," Charming asked.

"I haven't seen her in years. She left home after our sister, Anastasia, died," Cinderella's face grew serious as she looked over at her stepsister.

"Do you think we can trust her?" Snow White asked; Cinderella took a deep breath.

"I don't know; if you mean do I think she's working with my stepmother…no. I doubt she'd work with her,"

"What do you mean?" Snow asked.

"It means I hate my mother almost as much as Ella does…so nice to see you again, sis," Drizella gave Cinderella a small nod.

"God this is where I wish Emma were here; I could really use her superpowers right about now," Regina muttered as Robin squeezed her hand.

"Superpower?"

"It's this thing where she can tell when someone's lying," Regina muttered as Snow smiled at her.

"If Emma was able to believe in you, I'm pretty sure you can use your own judgment about Drizella," Snow said confidently.

"I still wish Emma was here,"

"We'll get to her, Henry too,"

"You're right; until then, we have to figure out how to handle all of this," Regina took a deep breath before turning her attention back to Drizella.

"Until we can figure out what your motives are, I'm having you kept in the dungeons," Regina ordered.

"What? The Dungeons? But, I just told you, my mother-"

"Until we can confirm that, I'm not taking any chances. We don't know where Zelena is and I have too much at stake to take chances on a total stranger," Drizella sighed, glancing desperately at The Blue Fairy for any possible way to help. Blue, however, pretended not to notice her.

"Take her away," Charming instructed the guard

"You won't take a chance on me but you'll take a chance on Cinderella and Tiana?" Regina paused for a moment; Drizella was right.

"Regina," Snow prompted.

"She's, she's right…" Regina sighed as Tiana and Cinderella looked at one another in worry.

"But, your majesty, she-" Tiana pleaded.

"You're not going to the dungeons if that's what you're thinking. I could never separate a mother from her child," Tiana nodded gratefully.

"Thank you," Regina smiled.

"But I still need to figure out what's going on," Regina looked at Drizella.

"You're right; it wouldn't be fair to just…stick you in the dungeons. Instead, I'm going to assign Mulan to be your guard until we straighten things out," Drizella frowned.

"So again, you trust them but you don't trust me?" Regina shook her head.

"No, I'm not, I'm saying…" Regina paused, feeling a surge of magic pulsate through her veins.

"Regina?" Snow and Robin glanced over at her in worry.

"It's okay, I'm fine," She closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath before opening her eyes again. Once she was sure the feeling, whatever it was, had passed, she once again turned her attention to Drizella.

"Tiana and Cinderella have been in the castle since the villages were burned down. You only showed up here today…who do you think I'm more inclined to trust?" Drizella sighed heavily.

"What if I can get you proof, that my mother was the one who helped Zelena?" There was a murmur among the members of the council.

"And what kind of proof could you have? I thought you hadn't seen your mother in years?" Robin asked.

"I haven't but that doesn't mean I don't know what she's up to…Zelena just might be the key to what she needs."

"And what exactly is that?" Charming asked.

"My sister Anastasia, she fell into a frozen pond when we were children. My mother, she found a way to preserve the last breath of life she had inside her. She's been looking for a way to resurrect her and she thinks Zelena might know the way," Regina shook her head.

"There's no way to keep someone alive after they've essentially died. Because if there were, I would've-"

"There is a way," Rumple admitted as Regina turned to look at him in shock.

"What?"

"There is a way to do it, but it's risky," Rumple explained.

"But, when I tried it, you said-"

"In your case it was impossible; Daniel's heart had been crushed into ash," Rumple stood up and moved towards Drizella.

"How long ago was it that this happened?" Rumple stood directly in front of Drizella, trying to see if he could sense dark magic on her.

"Many, many years ago; we, Ana, Ella, and I were teenagers," Rumple nodded.

"So I'd say about a decade or more," Drizella nodded.

"Yes, that'd be right,"

"Her heart was still pumping inside of her chest?" Drizella nodded.

"The person who helped her said that Drizella existed between worlds; if she had taken that last breath then-"

"The spell wouldn't have worked," Rumple murmured.

"And what exactly does Zelena have to do with this?"

"My mother thinks that Zelena's plan to forge the Dark One Blade and Excalibur could be the type of magic she needs,"

"Why would she need the Blade of the Dark One and Excalibur?" Regina asked.

"To activate the resurrection amulet, go on Dark One, tell them about it," Drizella looked at Rumple expectantly.

"There's no way; no one knows where it is," Rumple said.

"My mother's looking for it, and she thinks she's getting close," Rumple eyed Drizella suspiciously.

"And how do you have all of this information; you said you hadn't talked to her in years,"

"Word gets around," Drizella shrugged.

"Have you two heard about any of this?" Regina asked Cinderella and Tiana.

"Vaguely, but the spies in my kingdom said it was just all talk," Regina looked at Tiana and sighed.

"You said Tremaine had taken over your kingdom; do you think the rumors could still be true?"

"I don't know; when she took over, she made everyone swear an allegiance to her or…face the consequences," Cinderella squeezed Tiana's hand.

"Many lives were lost in that war," Nothing more had to be said, Regina immediately understood.

"Your son's father?"

"We're not sure; he was taken captive but…I don't see why she'd be keeping him alive," Regina nodded sympathetically before turning to other heroes.

"I wanna find out as much information about Lady Tremaine as possible," the others nodded.

"I'll have some men go out and scout the territory…we'll be sure to find out about your…"

"Naveen, his name is Naveen," Charming nodded before turning to speak quietly with one of the guards.

"I want to set you up with a guard, for protection," Regina said to Tiana.

"I couldn't possibly-"

"From one Queen to another, take the protection. With the Wicked Witch out there and an evil sorceress in control of your kingdom, you need to make sure you and your son are safe. That goes for you too, Cinderella; something tells me your stepmother has it out for you as well," Tiana and Cinderella nodded gratefully towards Regina before making their way out of the throne room.

"So that's it, they just…get protection and I'm stuck with someone watching me because you don't trust me?" Drizella scoffed as Regina shook her head at the girl.

"Y'know, you remind me so much of myself at your age," Snow looked at Regina in surprise.

"Regina, she's nothing like-"

"She is; I can see it in your eyes…your mother hurt you too and you want desperately to see her suffer, don't you?" Drizella lifted her chin in defiance, but Regina saw right through the façade.

"And that is exactly why Mulan is to be with you at all times,"

"But-"

"Like I said, I've got too much at stake and I'm not about to let some loose cannon of a girl, hell-bent on revenge put anyone else in jeopardy. So until you can be proven trustworthy or until we figure out just what the hell your mother has cooked up, you answer to Mulan. And I wouldn't try any funny business with her; she's highly qualified to kick your ass if necessary," Regina gave Mulan a wink before having her take Drizella up to her chambers.

oOo

It was a small ceremony, just the two of them, Friar Tuck, Snow and surprisingly, Granny.

Regina didn't want to make a big fuss out of things and Robin understood; they agreed that they'd have a more formal ceremony once all major threats had been taken care of. Of course, Snow squealed with excitement once Regina told her of their plans, but she took her vow of secrecy very seriously this go round.

"I know you're gonna wanna tell Charming but-" Snow placed a hand on top of Regina's.

"As much as I love Charming, I understand that this is something he can't know right now," Regina smiled gratefully at Snow.

"I still don't see why you didn't tell Tinkerbell," Snow mused.

"Because I'd rather not deal with hearing 'I told you so'," Regina muttered as Snow grinned.

"Besides, having both you and Tink here being all happy and overly giddy would make me wanna puke," Snow shook her head and surprised her stepmother by hugging her.

"For what it's worth, I'm honored that you asked me to be here. Henry would be proud y'know," Regina fought back tears as she squeezed Snow's hand.

"Yeah, I think so too,"

Their vows were short and simple; promising to love one another, to honor protect one another til death parted them. They sealed the deal with a sweet kiss, resting their foreheads against one another.

"Feeling better about that dream?" Robin asked, glancing down at their hands; Regina conjured up rings for them.

"Yeah, I do; there's no way Zelena can defeat us now," She said, smiling up at him.

"I'm with you Regina, always,"

oOoOo

It was late, well past midnight as Drizella paced back and forth in her room.

This wasn't part of the plan she thought to herself; how the hell was she supposed to get anything done with that stupid guard following her around all of the time?

"You have no faith in me at all, do you?" Drizella looked up at the sound of Gothel's voice.

"How did you-"

"Did you forget we've got our own little mole in the palace?" Gothel easily leaned against a nearby wall.

"Right, I keep forgetting about Blue; but what about-"

"The warrior is taking a little nap," Gothel grinned.

"Regina doesn't trust me,"

"She's not supposed to, but don't worry…her scouts will find everything they're supposed to,"

"And my mother?"

"What about her?"

"How will I exact my revenge on her if Regina-"

"Your mother will suffer for all that she's done to you, I promise you that," Gothel was instantly standing next to Drizella, gently caressing her cheek.

"And my curse?" Gothel sighed.

"Sometimes dear plans change; you won't be needing that curse. No, what I have planned for your mother is far worse that curse you were planning," Drizella looked up at Gothel in awe.

"And Anastasia?"

"Will die the death she deserved to die all those years ago," Drizella grinned wickedly.

"Suddenly, I like this plan…wait, what about Ella and Tiana?"

"What about them?"

"I may not hate them but-"

"As long as they don't interfere with anything, they'll be spared," Drizella nodded.

"And Regina?"

"She's going to be suspicious of you, but I'm sure you can find a way to charm her, get her on your side,"

"I've got just the thing," Drizella grinned.

 _Chapter 34 to follow…_

* * *

 **This took a bit longer than I'd hoped it would to finish but, it's a pretty lengthy chapter. I'm glad you all are enjoying how I'm incorporating the Season 7 characters into the story. While I may take issue with a lot of things that have happened in the season, I do like Cinderella/Jacinda and Tiana/Sabine very much. I also like their chemistry with Regina. Plus, I love the minority representation even if it is long overdue. I liked the similarities that Drizella had with Regina as well as the conflict with Drizella and Lady Tremaine. It made me think of Cora and Regina, which works very well in this story. So…OutlawQueen got married, yay! I'm thinking the next chapter will be a bit of a time jump; my muse says we should be getting ready to wrap a few things up before we head back to Storybrooke. Don't worry; we haven't seen the last of Zelena. I promise you guys that both Drizella and Zelena's role in Blue and Gothel's plan will make sense soon. For right now, let's just say they're a means to an end.**

 **Be on the lookout for the next chapter; I'll try and start on that ASAP.**

 **Xx**


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